RELIEFS AND CARVINGS OF THE MAIN ALTARPIECE AND COLLATERAL ALTARPIECES

OBSERVATIONS 

The Castillonuevo sculptures represent a cataloguing challenge as, to judge by some details of the clothing (long tasset of the armour, broad shoes with rounded toe, ample neckline of the saint without attributes), they date from  the beginning of the 16^th century. Both the Brussels and the Antwerp workshops were active at that time, sensing a certain influence of the former rather than the latter.

In fact, although at some other time we situated them among the Brussels production, we now perceive some similarity with the centre of Antwerp, too. Only an in-depth study to be carried out on the occasion of a desirable restoration could help clear up the doubts about their origin.

Although the group of St. Martin cutting his cape in two is from the same period as the other reliefs of the main altarpiece, it seems to have been carried out  by a different hand, perhaps the work of a local workshop.