The Virgin of Solitude
by MENA, Pedro de, Polychromed wood, height 56 cm
In this bust the sculptor fully realised the potential of the mixed-media technique promoted by Juan Mart�nez Montan�s half a century earlier. The idealised face of Mary was not only enlivened by realistic polychromy; ivory teeth, glass eyes, tears made of droplets of glass and eyelashes of animal hair were all expertly fitted into the carved head. The bust set the standard for this type of imagery, prompting many further commissions for both his workshop and his followers.