Memento Mori chain seal, Saint Petrsburg, Russia, second half of 19th century.

Terracotta nativity sculpture depicting the neck and head of a donkey. The sculpture is made of terracotta entirely by hand, finished in stick and color. In the nativity scene, the d...

Wunderkammer Memento Mori sculpture, depicting a carved wooden skull. Italy circa 1700.

A Memento Mori in wood with Chrismon, monogram of Christ. Valuable sculpture in fruit wood in almost true-to-life measurements, sculpted with art and finished with a wealth of details. The wood was covered with a thin layer of pellet and finished in color. Immediately above the forehead, in correspondence with the anterior neonatal fontanel, the CHRISMON is painted in purple red. The monogram of Christ or Chi Rho (or CHRISMON) is a combination of letters from the Greek alphabet, which form an abbreviation of the name of Christ. Solar in nature, often inscribed in a circle with multiple rays reminiscent of the cosmic wheel deriving from the ancient solar emblems of Egypt. The symbol consists of two large overlapping letters, the 'X' and the 'P'. They correspond, respectively, to the Greek letter '?' ('chi', which reads kh, aspirated) and '?' ('rho', which reads r). These two letters are the initials of the word '???st??' (Khristòs ), the name of Jesus, which in Greek means "anointed" and translates the Hebrew "messiah". On the sides of these two letters, there are very often two others: one 'a' and one '?', alpha and omega...

A pair of Grand Tour obelisks. Made of Siena yellow marble. Italy second half of the 19th century.

Masterfully carved & most impressive Italian Vanitas bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with a Belgian Bla...

Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas / Memento Mori bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with masterfully...

Masterfully carved Italian Vanitas bust in solid marble from late 19th century. White Carrara marble skull combined with a red Rosso Imperiale marble Ro...

Rare pair of funerary sculptures of a male and female likely husband and wife, carved in marble and housed in substantial cherry wood frames with ebonised slips. Each portrait has a...