18th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

This Ming Dynasty iron-standing Guanyin sculpture from China in the 16th century is a masterpiece of cast iron with a rustic patina wear and a faded washed gold leaf finish. Perfect ...

This 18th Century Italian Wooden Sculpture captivates with its rustic allure and storied past. Carved with a delicate yet masterful hand, it portrays the figure of a cherub, a timele...

Friar (St. Anthony), polychrome and gilded wood sculpture, 16th century St. Anthony standing, caught in the act of preaching. Talar dress consisting of a tunic decorated in gold,...

POLYCHROME CARVED WOOD VIRGIN AND CHILD FROM THE 15TH CENTURY   ORIGIN: SOUTH GERMANY, SWABIA, NUREMBERG REGION PERIOD: 15th CENTURY   Height: 94,6cm Width : 28 cm Depth : 18 cm   Lime wood Original Polychromy Good state of conservation     From 1430 onwards, sculpture underwent a profound stylistic renewal which continued until 1530, the so-called late Gothic period. In the Germanic countries, original sculptures flourished in an expressive and sensitive vein.
This renewal was inspired by the art of Nicholas of Leiden, who was active in Strasbourg in the 1460's. His style broke with the refined and delicate art of the international Gothic style in force throughout Europe around 1400. The figures became more authentic and realistic. The bodies became denser. Clothes are animated by deep, broken folds, the fabrics are heavy and have a great decorative value. In addition, the polychromy is intended to be illusionistic. The painting makes it possible to restore the texture of the materials, the richness of the textiles and the natural skin tone of the characters.   The dissemination of images through engraving and the great mobility of the artists led to the success of this style, which conquered the Upper Rhine, Swabian, Tyrolean and Franconian regions, contributing to the formation of a common stylistic identity in these regions. The economic boom in the flourishing German cities was conducive to the development of original production. Attracted by this prosperity, numerous workshops were set up in order to meet the orders of religious communities, the Church and the laity, including a clientele of middle-class rockers.      This precious Virgin and Child is depicted standing on a crescent moon, her head encircled by a crown of tall flowers. Her long wavy hair spreads over her shoulders, framing her beautiful oval face. Under fine eyebrows drawn with a brushstroke, her almond-shaped, slightly drooping eyes look at the Child with infinite softness. She is dressed in a long red dress with a rounded neckline, belted under the chest. The heavy fabric of her dress spreads out in broken folds at her feet. On her shoulders she wears a golden cloak. The drapery has deep folds. She holds out her right hand while she holds the Christ Child with her left.   Christ, with his well-defined hair, is naked. His cheeks are highlighted with red, he holds an apple in his left hand and with the other hand makes a sign of blessing towards the faithful.   Virgins with Child on a crescent moon were very popular in the second half of the 15th century, especially as the central subject of altarpieces in southern Germany and Austria. The crescent moon on which Mary is standing is reminiscent of the Woman of the Apocalypse. Often equated with the Virgin Mary.    This episode is taken from the Book of Revelation (12:1-6)   1 Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. ; 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because she was in labor, in pain from giving birth. ; 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: it was a great fiery red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. ; 4 His tail swept down a third of heaven's stars and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. ; 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child who is to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was snatched up to God and his throne. ; 6 Then the woman fled into the desert, where God has prepared a place for her. There she will be taken care of for one thousand two hundred sixty days.   Some theologians see in this woman a reference to the Virgin Mary and in the child, Jesus.    
This remarkable work is a very fine example of sculpture from Swabian workshops in the last decades of the 15th century. It presents all the characteristic stylistic elements: a highly girdled silhouette, an abundant drapery with angular folds, but also a great physical presence accentuated by the polychromy that restores the anatomical details. This group is made of a wooden log. The deep folds of the drapery highlight the movement of the Virgin holding the child.       Bibliography :   Sophie Guillot de Suduiraut, Dévotion et Séduction, Sculptures souabes des musées de France, vers 1460-1530, Paris musée du Louvre-Éditions somogy, 2015   “Revelation 12 -   Common English Bible...

A medieval English alabaster statue, possibly dating as far back as the late 14th / early 15th century, mounted on one of our exclusive large display plinths. Well weathered over the centuries, this 600-year-old statue depicts a medieval cloaked figure, possibly a monk, offering a glimpse into English architecture and sculpture of the Middle Ages. This sculpture is possibly made from Nottingham alabaster. During the 14th and 15th centuries, Nottingham was the centre of alabaster carving and painting. Alabaster works were mostly made as small alabaster models with religious themes. During the 16th century Reformation, many alabaster carvings were destroyed under King Henry VIII's rule, making any surviving examples even more significant. Provenance From the collection of Peter Hone (b. 1941). A master plaster caster, he is an expert and experienced collector, building up an extraordinary, museum-worthy collection of items in his one-bedroom flat in London W11...

Magnificent Aztec Basalt Eagle head, with powerful hooked beak, piercing eyes, and a fully-feathered head. The sculptor Highlighted the power of the head by finely burnishing the b...

A scent bottle in pale blue jasperware, with original silver lid. Decorated with Venus and Cupid, as allegories of Night - the one shedding poppies, the other drawing the veil of s...

Beautiful Pair of Grand-Tour Style Polished Onyx Obelisks 5x5x19h

Important 16th-century polychrome and gilded wood carving depicting Saint, Italy. The work features exceptional gilding on the dress and hair. Extremely important is the size of th...

Originally from 18th-century Italy, this pair of winged cherubs were hand-carved from wood as reflections of each other, meaning that their bodies are orientated as mirror images. Bo...

A savage or folk-art figure in bronze on a (recent) bluestone base. The figure with his long pointed beard is wearing a cape with hood. In front is a cross. In his hands he holds a ...

Indo-Portuguese sculpture "Lady Conception" 17th century, H 147cm. Our Lady Conception Indo-Portuguese teak wood carving from the 17th century. Upholstered and polychrome . T he ...

Vollplastisch geschnitzte Heiligenfigur des frühen 17. Jahrhunderts, polychrome originale Farbfassung. Höhe 83cm, Farbe bereichsweise stark blättrig bzw. fehlend. Ausdrucksstarker G...

Fine 18th Century bronze figures of a military drummer and a soldier loading his musket. Both bronzes are placed on a square shallow plinth base with titled ...

Christ enthroned South America, 17th century cm 64x22x18,5 Polychrome wooden sculpture representing Christ, wrapped in a red cloak edged with gold, who, crowned and seated on a th...

Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Figure of a Fat Lady or Female Courtesan. Period (618 - 907AD) Estate / Collection: The Collection of Jay I. Kislak sold to benefit the Kislak Family Fo...

Coppia di putti stanti in una palma, legno dorato, epoca Luigi XIV, fine XVII secolo, altezza 33.5 cm, larghezza massima 18 cm, base 10x5 cm. Le due sculture erano, probabilmente, la...

Oak carving of Bacchus, god of wine Circa 1700, excellent condition colour and patination size 110 cms high 50 cms wide 22 cms deep

Large wooden Madonna and Child, painted and carved in hollow at the back. The theme of the Virgin and Child is the most represented in all Christian art, whereas the infancy of Jesus...

Handcarved baroque wooden sculpture depicting the two accomplises Bacchus and Amor. Bacchus is wearing a grapevine in his hair and holds up a bunch of grapes. A jaguar skin...

Christ Crucified in boxwood and gilded loincloth, 16th-century German sculptor, height from head to foot 31 cm, width between hands 30 cm. Christ also has golden highlights on the pr...

Vintage, 18th Century Spanish Colonial Carved Polychromed and Parcel-Gilt, Painted Sculpture of a Bishop with Mitred Head

Vintage, 18th century Continental Rococo Carved Giltwood Figure of a Kneeling an Angel

18th century Baroque/Rococo english glazed painted porcelain of a goat-riding tailor by Chelsea Pottery By: Chelsea Pottery, Meissen Porcelain (in the style of) Material: porcelain,...

Sculptural 'Sacred Heart' - 18th century Italian gilded angel mounted on a polished red hematoid quartz heart and adorned with a natural-forming baroque pearl.The piece is inspired by "The Sacred Heart" in Catholic art history which symbolizes God's unconditional love for mankind. Hematoid Quartz is a quartz crystal that contains Hematite inclusions. It is polished and sculpted into a heart and adorned with the Italian gilt putto and baroque pearl. The piece is put together by Jean O'Reilly Barlow, the artist and creative director of Interi. The date of manufacture reflects when she created the piece and the period shows that the Italian putto...

Large figure standing with a book under his arm with hand extended.

Coppia di angioletti in legno di tiglio, sculture francesi del XVIII secolo, altezza di ognuno 17.5 cm e 16 cm, altezza complessive di basi lignee 36 cm e 31 cm, basi 9x9 cm. Si noti...

Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Figure of a Fat Lady or Female Courtesan. Period (618 - 907AD) Estate / Collection: The Collection of Jay I. Kislak sold to benefit the Kislak Family Fo...

Coppia di angeli alati in legno laccato "finto marmo", seduti, del XVIII secolo, poggianti su due basi lignee laccate tornite di recente produzione, altezza complessiva 102 cm, diame...

Pair of Carrara marble Putti, depicted in a mirror-image position to each other: softly reclining, the torso advanced and slightly off to the side, one arm resting on the thigh, whil...

Pair of sculptures depicting the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, portrayed in a mournful attitude. The former has a pained expression on her face, her hands clasped in front of h...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved angel wing mounted on white aragonite and adorned with faden crystals, crystal quartz, and baroque pearls. The hand-carved angel wing was ...

Set of two 16th century oak panels, one representing a character accompanied by a dog, the other a character in flames, probably saints. These ...

Bronze Buddha depicted in meditation pose sheltered by a Naga (a seven-headed snake). I two parts. Naga's body coiled up to serve as a cushion for the Buddha with 7 pronged head prov...

Exceptional hand carved baroque marble panel depicting a winged angel head , Italy, circa 1700-1750. Beautiful weathered.

Pair of 18th century Italian hand-carved and painted angel wings on titanium plated quartz crystal clusters with natural-forming baroque pearls. The hand-carved multi-colored angel wings are originally from a historical church in Venice, Italy. These are particularly rare and exquisite due to their unique coloring. The ecclesiastical artifacts are mounted onto a base of titanium plated quartz and adorned with coordinating baroque pearls. The minerals display...

Wooden sculpture depicting Ecce Homo. Christ, whose figure is cut off at thigh level, is standing, arms crossed at waist level. Long ringlets frame a face with a pointed beard, a hal...

Pair of 18th century Italian sculptures. Wooden works of great size and impact, pleasantly carved, depicting cherubs. Sculptures painte...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved angel wing mounted on a calcite crystal cluster and adorned with citrine points. The hand-carved angel wing was once part of a heavenly, a...

An Italian 18th century antique bronze statue of Athena ex. private collection. Over 240 years old, this striking bronze depiction of Athena is ...

Chinese Export Porcelain Figures of Attendants, Set of Five, Circa 1780 The set of five Chinese Export porcelain figures are painted in famille rose enamels with a purple robe and s...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved brown and gilt angel wing adorned with citrine and quartz crystals and mounted on a polished hematoid slab. The hand-carved angel wing was...

Carved bone and walnut figure of a beggar with a very expressive face holding a flute, with a satchel over his shoulder carved from wood with a leather strap. With inset glass eyes. ...

Beautiful pair of ceraferous angels sculpted in the round in a very lively position (the movement in the hair is remarkable), almost Baroque. Very fine execution of the plastron armo...

Exceptional pair of armchairs, in carved wood, decorated with acanthus leaves and volutes, the armrests ending in lions' heads, the footrests in dolphins' heads. Traces of "a mecca" ...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved angel wing mounted on aragonite and adorned with tangerine quartz crystals and a baroque pearl. The hand-carved angel wing was once part...

Venus With Dolphin In Bronze 1600, small 17th-century Italian sculpture ending in a ferrule at the bottom. He holds a sphere in his right hand and with his left hand holds the dolphi...

An Aztec Stone Sculpture of a dog-like creature, seated with one raised paw, having large round ears, deep set eyes, mouth with exposed upper fangs, and an unusual curved tail with c...

Group of altarpiece representing the life of a Saint, Saint Renualde? Engraved by the sign of Antwerp hand on the hat of the central character Carved oak, traces of polychromy Fir...

Altarpiece group representing the flagellation Brabant, circa 1560-1580 Carved wood, polychrome, and gilded 50 x 38 x 7 cm At the center of the group, Christ stands upright, leaning...

Sculptural 18th century Italian hand-carved angel wing mounted on a chalcopyrite and adorned with kyanite. The hand-carved angel wing was once part of a heavenly, angelic depiction i...

A large carved wooden purbha sculpture Tibet 15th - 16th Century With the triangular blade issuing from the mouth of a makara, the grip with stylized endless knot, the finial with t...

These stone sculpture fragments can be dated between the 12th and 13th century. They were finely sculpted by the Khmer people. The Khmer culture flourished between the 8th and 15th c...

Base of a carved wooden candelabrum, polychrome and gilded; cross painted on both sides. Umbria or Tuscany, 16th century 136 x 43,5 x 30 cm (The cross and the base of the candelabrum were later assembled) The base of the candelabrum is intricately carved and adorned with polychrome and gilded finishes. The shafts take on the shape of balusters reminiscent of ancient columns, feature ornate foliage decorations, garlands and winged cherub faces. The feet are crafted in the likeness of lion paws. The base is further embellished with depictions of four saint martyrs, among them Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The plasticity of the figures, outlined with strong contour lines, the clear and vibrant colors, are stylistic elements linked to the Umbrian tradition of the sixteenth century.The precisely defined and elegant drawing, along with the clear color palette applied with refined chiaroscuro modulations, became the signature of a style that would leave a lasting mark on the era to come. This is exemplified by a preference for vibrant, multicolored images, accentuated in this case by the use of red and pink in the saint's attire. A notable addition, introduced later, is a polylobed cross painted on both sides. On one side, the Crucifixion is vividly portrayed:The treatment of the corpus itself is in line with High Medieval practice, emphasizing pathos by showing Jesus dead, his arms sagging from the weight of the body. The upper section displaying a pelican pecks at her breast to feed her young with her own blood; a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross whose body and blood similarly nourishes the celebrant during Mass. The lower part depicts Golgotha. On the reverse side, the Resurrection is artistically presented in a Renaissance iconography, reminiscent of the renowned composition painted by Piero della Francesca, now housed in the Civic Museum of Sansepolcro. In terms of composition, with the frontal depiction of Christ holding the banner, this motif became particularly widespread in central Italy, spanning from Tuscany to Umbria throughout the 16th century.. The double-sided construction suggests that it may also have been carried in liturgical processions. In Umbria from the 14th century, the use of portable crosses painted on both sides had become a widespread practice, aimed at satisfying the monastic clientele that had significantly increased following the establishment of new religious communities. The earliest surviving Tuscan painted crucifix represent Christ as Christus Triumphans, or the “Triumphant Christ” with his head up and eyes open. This form was supplanted in the 13th century with the Christus Patiens, or “Suffering Christ” type who is shown often with his head fallen on his shoulder and his eyes closed, as In our cross. The iconography of the suffering Christ appears to have developed out of a new interest in Christ’s human nature, the development of the feast of Corpus Christi and with increased importance given to the Eucharist. The process of humanizing the figure of Christ reaches its peak with the abandonment of all the previous expressive conventions in favor of more realistic details we can observe in this Crucifix, such as the swollen belly, the arms stretched to the limit of muscle tearing, the body falling heavily forward, the abundant blood on the wounds, and the cross firmly embedded in the rock of Calvary. It's worth noting that Renaissance candelabra...

The figure stands with arms crossed in front, a pose that is often seen in tomb figurines which were intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife. The long robe and facial feature...

I was able to obtain a very rare item. This is a sculpture of the god ``Shinzo''. "Shin" = God "zo" = statue Since ancient times in Japan, it has been believed that gods reside in all things in the universe, and there have been many shrines. In the 6th century, Buddhism was introduced and gradually spread throughout Japan. Around the 8th century, the idea that gods follow the teachings of Buddha spread. Until the Edo period, God and Buddha became one and the idea of ``Shinto and Buddhism syncretism'' was established. This statue was created during such a history. Originally, the image of God was invisible and could not be understood as something tangible. However, with the introduction of Buddhism to Japan, idol worship was also introduced, and the idea that the gods follow the teachings of Buddha was also propagated at the same time in order to spread the teachings of Buddhism. Around that time, around the 9th century, the first statues of gods...

This Italian Limestone Venus Sculpture is a stunning depiction of the goddess of love, carved with incredible detail and from authentic 18th century limestone sourced from Italy. The...

Unique and wonderful hand carved grey marble angel head, France, circa 1780-1800. Beautiful weathered. Measurement includes the wooden base.