Madonna with Child

This sculpture signed on the pedestal OPVS FRANC. TERILLI FELT. they say come from district of Tezze in Feltre in the early decades of 800, the place in which there were monasteries of S. Spirito and S.Maria degli Angeli. In these places Vecellio, but with usual superficiality, reported some works of Terilli.

The whole sculpture shows solidity settings and strict formal control, so a refer to the Renaissance culture seems a must; then dating has to come before the others sculptural specimens known, probably around the beginning of 600. Painting of Veneto from 400 to 600 could provide a vast repertoire for ispiration for a similar work. Sitting on a small throne, the Madonna observes peacefully (or absently?) with the face slightly tilted the Child who, contrarily, brings a touch of moderate dynamism in composition, otherwise made with precise volumetric ratios. The face of Madonna, rounded as a commoner, looks like the more ironic one of the Madonna della Cintura inside S. Agostino in Treviso, noble statue of great elegance and embellished by gold and color still intact.

The work comes with extensive repainting that alter significantly the quality.

Taken from Francesco Terilli ed altri scultori del legno nel feltrino tra rinascimento e barocco, Sergio Claut, 1988