18th Century and Earlier Figurative Sculptures

Auction. Carved and gilded wood. Spanish school, 17th century. Carved and gilded piece of wood probably coming from a Spanish school altarpiece decorated with deep carvings of archi...

This stunning Chinese porcelain sculpture of the deity Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, was crafted in China in the 1880s. Featuring intricate details and fine-tuned craftsmanship, thi...

18th century continental eglomise painting of St John the Baptist preaching. Eglomise is a method of reverse painting on glass. In a go...

RENAISSANCE COAT OF ARMS in White Carrara Marble Italy 17th Century finely carved with roccaille inside reserve crowned heraldic coat of arms Ital...

Most likely Ming 15th/16th Century, carved chicken bone jade figure of a standing Guanyin (Quanyin) holding a scroll in one hand, prayer beads in the other. Affixed to carved wood ba...

Beautiful and very rare hand carved wooden coat of arms with a crowned lion standing on the water reaching to a star. The Netherlands, circa 1650- 1750. Weathered, small losses and...

Antique French sculpture from the 18th century. Work of exceptional size in wood and plaster, sculpted, lacquered and gilded depicting a life-size Saint, Saint Francis de Sales, of e...

A well carved Indian white marble Jain temple relief fragment featuring an image of a Jina, circa 12th century, Rajasthan or Gujarat, India. The Tirthan...

Italian Memento Mori skull Marble North of Italy, 17th century H 9 x L 7 x P 14 cm At the turn of the 16th century, they were the height of fashi...

Rare antique italan wood sculpture, 18th century. Finely carved wooden work depicting a religious subject, a saint, identifiable with the figure of John the Baptist prophet, of great...

Deftly carved in what appears to be butternut with remnants of peg joinery, and exhibiting a fine mellow, old patina overall. The reverse showing an old eye screw previously used for...

Wooden sculpture depicting a female figure, 17th century. Dimensions: 14x18x72 cm

Hand carved playing children, original painted white. There is missing a part, a tree of life or something similar (see picture 6).

A rare and very fine bronze corpus of Christ after a model by Michelangelo, cast ca. 1597-1600 by Juan Bautista Franconio and painted in 1600 by Francisco Pacheco in Seville, Spain. The present corpus reproduces a model attributed to Michelangelo. The best known example, lesser in quality, is one on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The association of this corpus with Michelangelo was first brought to light by Manuel Gomez-Moreno (1930-33) who studied the wider circulated casts identified throughout Spain. The attribution to Michelangelo was subsequently followed by John Goldsmith-Phillips (1937) of the MET and again by Michelangelo expert, Charles de Tolnay (1960). While Michelangelo is best known for his monumental works, there are four documented crucifixes he made. The best known example is the large-scale wooden crucifix for the Church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito in Florence, made in 1492 as a gift for the Prior, Giovanni di Lap Bicchiellini, for allowing him to study the anatomy of corpses at the hospital there. In 1562, Michelangelo wrote two letters to his nephew, Lionardo, indicating his intention to carve a wooden crucifix for him. In 1563 a letter between Lionardo and the Italian sculptor Tiberio Calcagni, mentions this same crucifix (a sketch of a corpus on the verso of a sheet depicting Michelangelo’s designs for St. Peter’s Basillica [Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille] may reproduce this). That Michelangelo was working on small corpora in the last years of his life is further evidenced by the small (26.5 cm) unfinished wooden crucifix located at the Casa Buonarroti, considered his last known sculptural undertaking. Michelangelo’s contemporary biographer, Giorgio Vasari additionally cites that Michelangelo, in his later years, made a small crucifix for his friend, Menighella, as a gift. Surviving sketches also indicate Michelangelo’s study of this subject throughout his career, most notably during the end of his life but also during the 1530s-40s as he deepened his spiritual roots. The occasional cameo of crucified Christ’s throughout his sketched oeuvre have made it challenging for scholars to link such sketches to any documented commissions of importance. All the while, in consideration that such objects were made as gifts, it is unlikely they should be linked with commissions. Nonetheless, a number of theories concerning Michelangelo’s sketches of Christ crucified have been proposed and some may regard the origin of the present sculpture. It has been suggested that the corpus could have its impetus with Michelangelo’s work on the Medici Chapel, whose exclusive design was given to the master. It is sensible smaller details, like an altar cross, could have fallen under his responsibility (see for example British Museum, Inv. 1859,0625.552). Others have noted the possibility of an unrealized large marble Crucifixion group which never came to fruition but whose marble blocks had been measured according to a sheet at the Casa Buonarroti. A unique suggestion is that Michelangelo could have made the crucifix for Vittoria Colonna, of whom he was exceedingly fond and with whom he exchanged gifts along with mutual spiritual proclivities. In particular, Vittoria had an interest in the life of St. Bridget, whose vision of Christ closely resembles our sculpture, most notably with Christ’s proper-left leg and foot crossed over his right, an iconography that is incredibly scarce for crucifixes. The suggestion could add sense to Benedetto Varchi’s comment that Michelangelo made a sculpted “nude Christ…he gave to the most divine Marchesa of Pescara (Vittoria Colonna).” Of that same period, two sketches can be visually linked to our sculpture. Tolnay relates it to a sketch of a Crucified Christ at the Teylers Museum (Inv. A034) of which Paul Joannides comments on its quality as suggestive of preparations for a sculptural work. Joannides also calls attention to a related drawing attributed to Raffaello da Montelupo copying what is believed to be a lost sketch by Michelangelo. Its relationship with our sculpture is apparent. Montelupo, a pupil of Michelangelo’s, returned to Rome to serve him in 1541, assisting with the continued work on the tomb of Pope Julius II, suggesting again an origin for the corpus ca. 1540. The earliest firm date that can be given to the present corpus is 1574 where it appears as a rather crudely conceived Crucifixion panel, flanked by two mourners in low-relief and integrally cast for use as the bronze tabernacle door to a ciborium now located at the Church of San Lorenzo in Padula. Etched in wax residue on the back of the door is the date, 27 January 1574, indicating the corpus would have at least been available as a model by late 1573. The Padula tabernacle was completed by Michelangelo’s assistant, Jacopo del Duca and likely has its origins with Michelangelo’s uncompleted tabernacle for the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Rome. The impetus for the Padula tabernacle’s Crucifixion panel begins with a series of late Crucifixion sketches by Michelangelo, depicting a scene of Christ crucified and flanked by two mourners (see British Museum Inv. 1895.0915.510; Ashmolean Museum Inv. 1846.89, KP II 343 recto; Windsor Castle RCIN 912761 recto; and Louvre Inv. 700). A faintly traced block possibly intended for sculpting the sketch of the crucified Christ on its recto was discovered by Tolnay on a version of the composition at Windsor Castle. The Windsor sketch and those related to it appear to have served as preparatory designs for what was probably intended to become the Basilica of St. Mary’s tabernacle door. Vasari documents that the project was to be designed by Michelangelo and cast by his assistant, Jacopo del Duca. Michelangelo died before the commission was complete, though on 15 March 1565, Jacopo writes to Michelangelo’s nephew stating, “I have started making the bronze tabernacle, depending on the model of his that was in Rome, already almost half complete.” Various circumstances interrupted the completion of the tabernacle, though its concept is later revitalized by Jacopo during preparations to sell a tabernacle, after Michelangelo’s designs, to Spain for Madrid’s El Escorial almost a decade later. The El Escorial tabernacle likewise encountered problems and was aborted but Jacopo successfully sold it shortly thereafter to the Carthusians of Padula. An etched date, 30 May 1572, along the base of the Padula tabernacle indicates its framework was already cast by then. A 1573 summary of the tabernacle also describes the original format for the door and relief panels, intended to be square in dimension. However, a last minute decision to heighten them was abruptly made during Jacopo’s negotiations to sell the tabernacle to King Phillip II of Spain. Shortly thereafter the commission was aborted. Philippe Malgouyres notes that the Padula tabernacle’s final state is a mixed product of the original design intended for Spain’s El Escorial, recycling various parts that had already been cast and adding new quickly finished elements for its sale to Padula, explaining its unusually discordant quality, particularly as concerns the crudeness of the door and relief panels which were clearly made later (by January 1574). Apart from his own admission in letters to Spain, it is apparent, however, that Jacopo relied upon his deceased master’s designs while hastily realizing the Padula panels. If Michelangelo had already earlier conceived a crucifix model, and Jacopo had access to that model, its logical he could have hastily employed it for incorporation on the door panel to the tabernacle. It is worth noting some modifications he made to the model, extending Christ’s arms further up in order to fit them into the scale of the panel and further lowering his chin to his chest in order to instill physiognomic congruence. A crude panel of the Deposition also follows after Michelangelo’s late sketches and is likewise known by examples thought to be modifications by Jacopo based upon Michelangelo’s initial sculptural conception (see Malgouyres: La Deposition du Christ de Jacopo del Duca, chef-d’oeuvre posthume de Michel-Ange). Jacopo’s appropriation of an original model by Michelangelo for more than one relief on the Padula tabernacle adds further indication that the crucifix was not an object unique to Jacopo’s hand, as few scholars have posited, but rather belongs to Michelangelo’s original...

Molded of earthenware, this petite sculpture is a type of centuries-old burial figurine known as míngqì. Such model figures were placed in tombs of individuals with high status to en...

SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA ORIGIN : SWABIA, ULM REGION PERIOD : ca. 1510-1520 Height : 118 cm Length : 39 cm Depth : 17 cm Limewood...

CARVED POLYCHROME WOOD DEPICTING SAINT FLORIAN ORIGIN : SWABIA, SOUTHERN GERMANY PERIOD : LATE 15th CENTURY Height : 98 cm Length : 29 cm Depth : 24 cm Polychrome limewood Very fine condition Provenance - Swiss collection STAEHELIN-PARAVICINI - March 1939 - Auction Jacob Hecht -18 April 1929, Berlin - Sammlung Prof Q.A. LEIMHAAS Munich, Helbing - 26 May 1908 (Research by Thierry Fraslin) During the Middle-Age Saint Florian was particularly popular, subject to worship in Austria -Tyrol- Bavaria and Bohemia. Embodying courage and commitment Saint Florian was invoked to protect the soul of the living against sins and to keep the soul of the deads from the purgatory. From the mid-15th century he safeguards from water and fire. The legend has it that when he was young the saint had contained the fire of a burning...

IMPORTANT POLYCHROME LOW-RELIEF DEPICTING CHRIST IN THE MOUNT OF OLIVES ORIGIN: SOUTH GERMANY or ALSACE PERIOD: ca. 1500-1510 Height : 78 cm Length : 57 cm Depth : 8 cm Limewood ...

IMPORTANT WOOD SCULPTURE REPRESENTING SAINT BARBARA ORIGIN : NORTHERN FRANCE OR FLANDERS PERIOD : 16th CENTURY Height: 103 cm Length: 40 cm Depth: 30 cm Oak wood Good condition Saint Barbara was the daughter of Dioscorus who imprisonned her in a tower to prevent her from being corrupted by Christianity. Despite this, she was taught and baptisted by a local priest. According to legend, she proved her faith by carving a third window into the tower, symbolic of the Trinity. Once her father learned this, he threatened her with his sword. She managed to escape and hide, not before being revealed by a sheperd. She was thrown in jail and tortured, refusing to denounce her faith. Her father forced her up to the mountain’s summit and decapitated her, afterwhich God struck him down by lightning. Saint Barbara`s following was popularized in the Occident in the 13th century because of the Golden Legend...

Italian Baroque Winged Putto Sculpture 17th Century Lombard School Carved Giltwood and Silvered Angel Figure Winged Putto Lombard Italian Figure from 1600 Angel in Gilded and Silvere...

A Bow Porcelain Figure of Winter, c1765 Have named this version of winter "Dave" in tribute to the great and sorely missed observational Irish comedian Dave Allen. Additional information: Date : c1765 Period : George III Marks : None Origin : New Canton factory...

Molded of earthenware, this petite sculpture is a type of centuries-old burial figurine known as míngqì. Such model figures were placed in tombs of individuals with high status to en...

Extremely Fine and large Teotihuacan sculpture of a standing Lord wearing a layered tunic, and having strong and beautifully sculpted facial features. Teotihuacan Culture, Teotihuaca...

IMPORTANT WOOD SCULPTURE, GOTHIC DEPICTION OF SAINT WENCESLAUS ORIGIN : CENTRAL EUROPE PERIOD : MID-15th CENTURY Height : 83 cm Length : 30 cm Depth : 20 cm Basswood Good condit...

A Bow Porcelain Figure of a Turkish Dancer, c1765 Additional information: Date : c1765 Period : George III Marks : Unmarked. Label for Albert Amo...

SAINT JOHN OF CALVARY ORIGIN : SOUTH GERMANY PERIOD : 16th CENTURY Height: 104 cm Width: 42 cm Depth: 29 cm This Saint John belonged to a Crucifixion group depicting three figur...

Antica scultura lignea Raffigurazione di Monaco Cinese Antica scultura presepe napoletano lignea Descrizione Antica scultura policroma lignea ...

SMALL SCULPTURE FIGURING AN ANGEL ORIGIN : GERMANY PERIOD : 15TH CENTURY Height: 48,5 cm Width : 20 cm Depth : 12 cm

A Bow Porcelain Figure of a Female Turkish Dancer, c1765 Additional information: Date : c1765 Period : George III Marks : Unmarked Origin : Bow, ...

A wonderful original piece of the Renaissance Period - a carved wooden polychromed figure / statue of Saint Francis. This piece was found in France but most probably originated in 1...

Pair of large statues carved in the round, probably representing cerulean angels (although there is no evidence of wings on the back), or allegories of fortune (in which case we can ...

18th century Italian "Young John the Baptist" painting framed with purple and yellow fluorite. The painting original came from Tuscany and depicts him as a young man with a lamb. Thi...

Chinese Tang Dynasty painted pottery dancer TL Tested. Ca. 618-907 AD A delicate female dancer wearing a long flowing gown with draped, winged sleeves. The...

Pair of 18th century Italian hand-carved gold leaf angels with golden quartz crystals. The sculptural pair have the original metal wall hangers to be hung on the wall. The hand-carve...

Egyptian Bronze Figure of a Seckhmet Lion-Headed Goddess, 21st/25th Dynasty, 1075-525 BC The lion-headed goddess possibly seated.8x4x5 cm.Bronce...

18th century wooden Madonna with child (South-Europe). Exceptionally well-preserved, given the age.

An extremely rare Basalt model of a temple in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, perhaps one that was next to the Templo Mayor itself, The Great Temp...

17th Century German hand-carved oak religious sculpture. Possibly a saint or a bishop. The bearded man is cloaked in draped fabric with only left ...

A wonderful Chinese red clay pottery tomb figure from the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907). Guarding a dignitary or decorated soldier; these figures stood guard for over a thousand years surviving to decorate your home collection of ancient artistic and cultural artifacts. Original Polychromed red and gray paint pigments still present. Chinese Buddhist guardian statues made of earthenware and pigments, from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), dated to the late 7th to first half of the 9th century. The foreign facial features of this brilliantly sculpted guardian figure is evidence of the strong Western presence in Tang-dynasty China. Originating in the Lokapala deity of the Buddhist religion, which came to China from the West, this type of armored tomb guardian...

A pair of Ming dynasty sancai blue glazed pottery figures. Circa 1500 AD Ming Dynasty I have owned over 250 ming tomb figures including over 80...

Description 18th Century Carved Wood Panel – Polychrome Head Of Cherub – Putto Magnificent decorative panel from an altarpiece in carved polychrome w...

An extremely rare Basalt model of one of the main temples in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, perhaps the Templo Mayor itself, The Great Temple. As a way of reinforcing the centralized power of the Aztec Empire and its Religious institutions, thousands of small clay models of the main temples in Tenochtitlan were mass produced in press molds and distributed throughout the Empire, where they were installed in household religious shrines...

Khmer Bronze Buddha Cambodia, 17th/18thC Copper and Bronze sculpture representing seated Buddha with traces of gilding. Writings on verso; possibly a prayer. Dimensions: Height 6 1/4 inches (15.8 cm)} AVANTIQUES is dedicated to providing an exclusive curated collection of Fine Arts, Paintings, Bronzes, Asian treasures, Art Glass and Antiques. Our inventory represents time-tested investment quality items with everlasting decorative beauty. We look forward to your business and appreciate any reasonable offers. All of our curated items are vetted and guaranteed authentic and as described. Avantiques only deals in original antiques and never reproductions. We stand behind our treasures with a full money back return policy if the items are not as described. Please also consider Avantique’s antique and ancient Asian Art...

Gorgeous pair small late 18th century neoclassical mythical figures. france circa 1780. Weathered and old repair Measurements are individual and include the wooden base.

A mesmerizing Gupta Empire (mid-3rd century BCE - 543 AD) mounted terracotta torso of a standing Vishnu. Vishnu is the preserver god, which means he p...

CHILD JESUS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD 18th Century portuguese sculpture in polychrome and gilded wood with fabric cover. Mounted on a spherical base and golden plinth. Shine in silver, un...

Exquisite product is a polychromed, hand painted terracotta figure that beautifully depicts Baby Jesus. The attention to detail is evident in the figure's glass eyes, which add a lif...

Tang Dynasty Terracotta sculpture of a fat lady This stunning lady wears her hair in an elaborately styled coiffure. A remarkable amount of the original pigm...

A rare and unusual Chinese Ming Dynasty bronze figure of the Buddha as an infant. The young Prince Siddhartha, who would grow up to become the Buddha, is portrayed standing, one hand pointing to the sky, the other to the ground. He is naked, save for a baby apron...

A scarce Baroque Period European antique hand carved and painted wood santo altar figure, 17th/18th century, the religious folk art sculpture depicting Ma...

An exquisite Thai cast bronze Buddha head, Sukhothai kingdom, circa 15th century, Thailand. The Buddha's pleasing face, with its narrow, oval ...

Italian renaissance hand carved wooden "putto" angel head, circa 15th Century Width 14 inches / height 14 inches / depth 4 inches 1 available in stock in Italy Order reference #: FAB...

RARE MEZCALA STONE PALANQUIN GROUP An exceptionally rare Mezcala stone Palanquin Group depicting a four-legged litter with tapering posts, arched arm rests, openwork guilloche designs on three sides, the backrest carved with a schematic, seated dignitary with legs outstretched, hands clasped at the torso, the wide triangular-shaped head with sunken facial features, the front posts surmounted by diminutive seated Mezcala M22 attendants Mezcala Culture, Guerrero West Mexico, Ca. 300 - 100 B.C. There are numerous Mezcala stone figures and temple models available, but there is only one other Palanquin known, which was sold at Christies, Paris on 9 Nov., 2021, Lot 58 Above in the Additional photos section is the page from Christies catalog...

Unique carved sandstone Christ figure fragment with a strong expression. Beautiful weathered , France circa 1600-1700. Weathered, and losses. Measurement with the base.

Antico Crocefisso Ligneo - policromo - buone condizioni - vari restauri - XVIII Descrizione Antico Crocefisso Ligneo, Policromo in buone condizioni generali strutturali. Nel tempo ...

A large Cambodian Angkor Wat attributed sandstone head of an Apsara with an ornate flame crown. Mounted on a wood base, 12th century. Measures: Height 11 x 9 inches With stand 13.3 ...

This antique cherub figure was crafted in Italy, circa 1780. The hand-painted putti carving features its original polychrome and gold leaf finish for a luxurious result. The hand carved cherub is expressive in it's movement and features a wonderful facial expression. The colorful wall hanging...

Mid 18th Century Meissen Porcelain Figure, Rare blue eyed Mushroom Seller "Pilzverkäufer". Model Number 864, by Johann Joachim Kaendler, circa 1747 Crossed swords mark and model n...