Description
A distinctive feature of Abruzzo’s artistic heritage is its rich production of polychrome wooden statues, which flourished particularly from the late 12th century. This form of craftsmanship became one of the most original expressions of medieval art in the region, its spread aided by the abundance and relative affordability of timber.
These sculptures were not merely devotional objects, but central to religious and social life: sacred images that actively participated in processions, patronal festivals, and other communal rituals, reflecting the tastes and sensibilities of local communities. Although created by carvers working within the region, their style reveals influences from central Italian artistic traditions.
This room displays a selection of sculptures depicting the Virgin and Child enthroned — a symbol of profound, popular spirituality, capable of blending hieratic formality with tenderness. Also on view is a rare example of the Deposed Christ, originally part of a larger sculptural group depicting the Deposition from the Cross, now lost.
