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18th Century Spanish Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception, Handcrafted Sculpture
About the Item
Completely hand-crafted in 18th century Spain, this sculpture of the Virgin stands 1.5 meters / 5 feet tall and was most certainly created for devotional purposes, to be displayed in a church or chapel.
Besides its impressive size this sculpture is an excellent, museum-quality example of the Spanish “Estofado” polychrome technique, developed during the Gothic period to imitate rich brocade fabrics. The finely carved “fabric” areas of the sculpture would be first covered in gesso, and then a layer of gold leaf would be applied. The gold leaf would then be painted over with various colors of tempera paints. Once dry, the painted surface would be incised or scratched away in patterns, revealing the gold beneath.
The sculpture was professionally restored in 2022 by a firm that is often hired by the Spanish government to work on historic building interiors and museum pieces. The virgin was carefully cleaned, repaired and its condition stabilized. A complete and fully-illustrated restoration report will be included with purchase.
Often confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary herself was conceived “immaculately” without original sin has been variously defended and debated within the Catholic Church since the pre-Middle Ages. For centuries, artists struggled to create an acceptable visual representation of this highly abstract concept, in part taking inspiration from the Book of Revelation and other scriptural sources.
We see the Virgin standing on a half moon (biblically inspired, though also an ancient symbol of chastity) with her long natural hair loose down her back, another indication of purity. Both her white tunic and flowing blue mantle are highly decorated with polychrome designs imitating sumptuous textiles. On her head is a radiating halo featuring 12 stars, combined with the “imperial” crown of the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Halo and crown are silver, showing hallmarks of a 19th century maker from Barcelona - indicating this piece was a later replacement for the original crown either lost or damaged, not uncommon for these types of religious sculptures. Underneath the Virgin is a trio of cherubim, heavenly spirits who are traditionally protectors of things holy that often appear attending the Immaculate Virgin, and at the bottom appears a snake with a fruit in its mouth - a symbol of both the Devil and Original Sin, defeated and trod on by the Virgin.
This "Virgen Inmaculada Concepción" is a wonderful and unique item which combines Spanish art, history, and religious devotion.
"A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars..." - Revelation 12:1
150cm tall with halo / 127cm without
- Dimensions:Height: 59.06 in (150 cm)Width: 21.66 in (55 cm)Depth: 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Style:Baroque (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Refinished. Repaired: The sculpture was restored by a firm that is often hired by the Spanish government to work on historic buildings and museum pieces. The virgin was cleaned, repaired and its condition stabilized. A complete restoration report will be included. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Madrid, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3306139813372
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