Figurative Sculptures

A Very Rare and Important Marble Relief of the ‘Resurrection of Christ’ Attributed to the Master of the Mascoli Altar Marble Venice, Italy Second half of the 15th Century SIZE: ...

Circa (618-907 AD) A pottery tomb attendant figure in the form of a woman who is wearing a lengthy robe with a red-painted skirt, her robes are painted ...

This intriguing head fragment was once attached to a bust or full effigy figurine crafted in 400 A.D. Mesoamerica. Earthenware figurines were made in great abundance throughout Teotihuacan's history. After 250 A.D. objects made from clay increased dramatically in Teotihuacan, serving a wide variety of purposes and functions from religious rituals to burial offerings. Figurines like this commemorated important people and events within the city of Teotihuacan and other parts of Mesoamerica, portraying individuals of different rank and status such as soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, and occasionally divinities. This figure is adorned with an elaborate headdress, a thick beaded necklace...

Very charming Meissen Art Nouveau porcelain figurines: Boy in dark blue jacket, under it a brown vest, striped pants and lace-up shoes, on his head a green cap with a wide brim, a white scarf around his neck, with his right arm reaching far back to throw a snowball at the girl, with his left hand holding more prepared snowballs to his chest. The boy is supported from behind by a small toboggan and is based on round snow base. The girl in purple flowered dress...

A Superb Pair of Neapolitan Carved Figures of Dwarves Attributed to Francesco Celebrano (1729 - 1814) Marble Naples, Italy 18th Century SIZE: Male: 36cm high - 14¼ ins high Fe...

A scarce 17th century Spanish Colonial carved wood santo with provenance from the National Museum of the Philippines Manila. circa late 1600s A large part of what makes this example so very rare is not just the age and condition, but the saint depicted, San Roque. The Hispano-Philippine (Spanish-Filipinos) hand carved hard wood religious altar figure presents splendidly, with scattered remnants of original gesso and polychrome pigments, the exceptionally sculpted religious folk art depicting San Roque (Saint Roch or Rocco), the 14th century Catholic patron saint frequently invoked against the plaque, various infectious disease, as well as patron saint of dogs, invalids, of falsely accused people, and of bachelors, amongst others. Provenance / Acquisition: Retaining registration - identification label to verso from The Republic of the Philippines (RP) National Museum of the Philippines Manila with hand written registration number. Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, est. 1982, Austin, Texas. February 2022 catalog. Dimensions: (approx) Overall: 15.75" High, 5" Wide, 4" Deep. Figure: 14" High 1.5lbs Great original antique condition, especially considering it's around 350 years old. Nicely aged patina over the whole. Presented on a later wood plinth base. Typical loss to right arm, minor finish losses, old tiny metal plate added to prevent age related splitting, all wear consistent with age, and only adds to the overall sophisticated character, authenticity, and charming rustic warmth that can only be acquired over long periods of time. We here at Lynx Hollow Antiques absolutely love religious antiques, from an antique altar, church architectural salvaged building and ornamental elements, reliquary, tabernacle cabinet...

A Polychrome and Parcel-Gilt Marble Group of the Virgin and Child Attributed to Giovanni Di Balduccio (1317 - 1349) Marble Italy Circa 1330 - 1340 SIZE: 65cm high, 28cm wide - 25½ i...

Winged Putto Sculpture of Italian origin from the 1750s depicts the Face of Angel In Carved Wood from a liturgical ornament to which it was attached with two nails, holes can still ...

18th century French or Italian Santo Nativity Figure, a hand carved and painted fruitwood figure for a Christmas Crèche or Krippe. Excellent and delicate details to the head and hands. The half figure stands on a dowel set into platform base, dressed in original fine linen robe...

This seated effigy figure was crafted in 300 BC to 300 AD from the ancient Nayarit region of Mexico and was likely used as a ritual or burial offering. The ceramic works of the Chine...

Carved alabaster group, with base, representing Saint George slaying the dragon. Flanders, 17th c. Missing horse's tail, chips on the base and gluing (with original parts). Traces of polychromy and gold repairs. Beautiful, very expressive ensemble. In a legend, Saint George—a soldier venerated in Christianity—defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tribute once a year. This was acceptable to the villagers until a princess was chosen as the next offering. The saint thereupon rescues the princess and kills the dragon. The narrative was first set in Cappadocia in the earliest sources of the 11th and 12th centuries, but transferred to Libya in the 13th-century Golden Legend.

the well-defined athlete with contorted body about to begin his throw; with beautifully delineated face, hands and feet wearing sheer, form-fitting shirt and shorts

Pair of Carved Wood Putti on Carved Base from the 1700s are two naked cherubs covered only by their golden loincloths; apparently two heralding angels without wings, they stand on ti...

Handcarved polychrome wooden sculpture with glass eyes, Santos cage doll, capipota, dressing Saint Colonial school, possibly school of Quito Ecuador, ...

An antique 18th century Walnut Figural Statue of Saint Peter on a plinth Anonymous Northern Europe, probably Belgium; first-half of the 18th century Walnut Approximate size: 17 (h) x 4.25 (w) x 4.25 (d) in. The present sculpture, perfectly suited for a curiosity cabinet or English-European country styled home, was likely realized for a church side chapel or choir stall niche. The serious look of the saint’s face...

The very expressive Virgin, in a strictly upright posture, carries the child Jesus on her (damaged) left arm. In her right hand, she holds the shaft of a scepter. She looks at the ob...

This standing female figure was crafted in 400-100 BC from the ancient Chupicuaro region of Mexico. The ceramic works of the Chupicuaro people are distinguished by their slanted, cof...

This standing effigy was crafted in 500 A.D. - 1000 A.D. Mesoamerica using the gray clay paste that characterizes La Tolita-Tumaco ceramics of early Colombia-Ecuador. The art of La Tolita-Tumaco civilization is considered one of the most developed of the pre-Columbian period as metalwork and ceramics were the most popular form of cultural expression. The ceramic creations of this culture were often based on the human figure to create portraits of people and realistic daily scenes of life cycles and the human condition. This figure appears to be wearing a loincloth and is adorned with a beaded necklace and an elaborate coiffure or headdress. There are holes lining each ear indicating the potential use of ear spools...

18th Century Meissen Porcelain Figurines, Pair of Lovers. Model 571. Sitting lovers, designed by Johann Joachim Kaendler, above a base covered with plastic flowers and leaves, shep...

A Pair of Late 15th or Early 16th Century Oak Saints carved in high relief and raised on polygonal bases. The female depicted standing in contrapose with low...

This intriguing redware figure was crafted in 400 A.D. from the ancient Teotihuacan region of Mexico. Earthenware figurines were made in great abundance throughout Teotihuacan's history. After 250 A.D. objects made from clay increased dramatically, serving a wide variety of purposes and functions from religious rituals to burial offerings. Figurines like this commemorated important people and events within the city of Teotihuacan and other parts of Mesoamerica, portraying individuals of different rank and status such as soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, and occasionally divinities. This figure is adorned with an elaborate headdress, a thick beaded necklace...

ABOUT Contact us for more shipping options. Free Bay Area delivery. S16 Home San Francisco. Exceptional large Memento Mori sculpture in polychrome depicting a half flayed Monk. German 17th century. The sculpture presents half of the skeletal face, hand and foot. Shown with life size model...

Callipygian Venus 19th Century Italian (Naples or Rome) White marble After the Antique: Naples Archaeological Museum (IT) Roman version of a Hellenistic 3rd Century B.C. model Height: 62 cm Width: 22 cm H 24 1/2 x W 8 2/3 inch The Callipygian Venus, also known as the Aphrodite Kallipygos or the Callipygian Venus, all literally meaning “Venus of the beautiful buttocks”, is an Ancient Roman marble statue...

A terracotta bust "Ecce Homo" Florence, 15th century 53 x 44 x 31 cm

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

In the heart of ancient China, within the resplendent Ming dynasty, a masterpiece was cast in bronze, a testament to a culture steeped in mysticism and spirituality. This Taoist bron...

A fine 19th century full length portrait of St Michael standing with his sword raised. South American Cuzco school 19th century and earlier. Unsigned Oil on canvas, 56 by 78cms. Fram...

Rare antique italan wood sculpture, 17th century. Finely carved wooden work depicting a religious subject, a saint, identifiable with the figure of Saint Francis, of great size. The ...

One of the most finely sculpted and executed bronzes we have ever offered, this 22-inch sculpture portrays David as a handsome, lithe young man, with a small stone in his hand, ready...

19th Century Spanish Colonial wood and polychromed hand carved figure of a Santos or possibly Jesus. The practice of creating Santos figures began in Spain and they usually wore orna...

A large and impressive Indian carved sandstone architectural frieze featuring a central image of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi flanked by two atten...

A chinese porcelain table screen from the Ming period, 16/17th century. Decorated in High Relief With Shoulou on his crane and the Eight Immorta...

Italian 18th century hand-carved Corpus Christi, in original paint, or in some small areas early paint. Note: Original/early finish on antique a...

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...

Depiction of a young unclothed Art Nouveau girl with artfully pinned up hair with incorporated hood, a large striped cloth wrapped around her right fo...

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...

This standing effigy figure was crafted in 300 BC from the ancient Chupicuaro region of Mexico and was likely used as a ritual or burial offering. The ceramic works of the Chupicuaro...

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...

Fine quality Italian bronze Roman chariot sculpture on onyx base.

A wonderful 16th century draped female torso in classical style. Made in France under Italian Renaissance influence this female torso is finely sculpted with great detail to the stol...

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...

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

Excellent Viennese Art Nouveau Ceramic Piece: Blond boy sitting astride the duck decorated with colourful flower garlands, resting his hands on his knees. The group is based on an ov...

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

Hans Muller (Austria, 1873-1937) bronze sculpture of a nude male figure, depicted with his hands to his chest and running, mounted on a Sienna marble base. This is a nice present for...

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...

HÉLÈNE ZELEZNY-SCHOLTZ (1882-1974). A bronze sculpture “Reading of the newspaper”, 1915. A man reads the newspaper for six other men sitting on a bench. The inscription on the base ...

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...

Excellent Viennese Art Nouveau Ceramic Piece: Blond boy sitting sideways on a rooster decorated with colourful flower garlands and holding on to its comb and plumage. The group is ba...

Admirable Art Nouveau Figure Group by Rosenthal. Naked faun-like boy sitting on the back of an ibex, straining his upper body backwards and supporting himself with both arms on the h...

Russian iron sculpture of a Cossack horseman Russian, 1912 Height 39cm, width 35.5cm, depth 17.5cm This expressive patinated cast iron sculpture depicts ...

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...

Very rare Meissen Art Nouveau porcelain figurines: Two children with colorful hoops: Standing boy in sailor dress, holding the hoop with both hands behind him standing on the ground,...

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...

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...

This very colorful and exotic bronze is typical of the work of Franz Bergmann. While it does not bear his foundry mark, it has all the ear marks of his work. The subject, the qualit...

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...

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