Jesse’s recumbent statue
Author: Master João Garcia de Toledo (attributed to)
Date: 14th – 15th century
Material: Limestone with traces of polychromy
Dimensions (cm): H 53,5 x W 273 x D 69
Inscription: EIUS A(s) CENDET.ET.REQUIE
Provenance: Guimarães, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira
Owner: Guimarães, Colegiada de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira
Inventory No.: MAS ED 27
Gothic sculpture representing Jesse, King David’s father, the base of the symbolic tree of the genealogy of the Virgin and of Christ. The figure of the sleeping Jesse was sculpted in two enormous blocks of limestone, more than two metres in length. Supporting his face on his left hand and with a long beard, a long tunic gathered under the sleeves, the symbolic tree with the genealogy of the Virgin and of Christ formerly sprang from his abdomen. The Latin inscription that runs in the base of the figure, with the verses 1 and 2 of Chapter 11 from Isaiah, confirms the identification of the sculpture: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him”. Likewise, the remaining iconography in the archivolts of the big window, with the Annunciation and a group of prophets, is common in the context of the plastic representation of the famous verse by Isaiah.
This sculpture comes from the great window of the western facade of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira and it was probably in the internal face of that window. The originality of its implantation constitutes a unique example in Portuguese architecture, as well as in all Portuguese medieval art, where this iconographical theme, although not having been completely ignored, was not again represented in sculpture. Included in the renovation works that began in the last decade of the 14th century, ordered by Dom João I, this monumental tree of Jesse was, as mentioned by Mário Barroca, demolished during the works of the 18th century, the statue of Jesse being the only surviving part.
Tree of Jesse (fragment)
Author: Master João Garcia de Toledo (attributed to)
Date: 14th – 15th century
Material: Granite
Dimensions (cm): H 33 x W 20 x D 9
Provenance: Guimarães, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira
Inventory No.: MAS L 51
This is probably a fragment of a branch that might be part of the tree of Jesse located in the western portal of the church of the Colegiada de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira. The figure of Jesse (MAS ED 27), which is also on display at the museum, is, however, made of limestone whereas in this fragment granite is the material used.
The implantation of this tree of Jesse in the internal face of the big window of the church constitutes an originality that is a unique example in the Portuguese architecture, as well as in all Portuguese medieval art, where this iconographical theme, although not having been completely ignored, was not again represented in sculpture. Included in the renovation works that began in the last decade of the 14th century, ordered by Dom João I, this monumental tree of Jesse was demolished during the works of the 18th century, as mentioned by Mário Barroca, the statue of Jesse being the only surviving part.