Gesso Sculptures and Carvings

A most impressive antique Spanish Colonial hand carved polychromed wood Santo Catholic church altar figure. circa 1800 Hand-crafted in the late 18th / early 19th century, exceptionally executed intricate detailing, the large scale antique religious sculpture depicting the female Saint Teresa of Avila, polychrome painted gesso over finely sculpted wood, inset glass eyes, shown in Carmelite nun habit...

18th century exceptional Italian carved wood and polychromed figure depicting baby Jesus holding the world in his hand, he has halo made from sterling silver and the globe is also sterling silver.This piece would have originally been dressed in an elaborate gown and would have been changed into different attire depending on the holy season. Extremely detailed and the carving is exceptional. this piece came from a very reputable merchant in Verona, I did inherit it from my mother in Law...

Antique South American Spanish Colonial Poly chrome Folk Art Santos figure The finely sculptured hard wood figure standing with a cross and bible on a pedestal base, painted in p...

A fabulous French Empire period giltwood figural candlestick, early 19th century, now professionally electrified and fashioned as a single-light table lamp. Exquisitely hand carve...

Impressive wood carved angel with amazing detail. Certainly the work of a master carver. Found among the entire contents of a Catholic Church in the Midwest which was said to have cl...

Antique Spanish Colonial Poly chrome Folk Art Santos figure probably Philippines The finely sculptured large hard wood figure standing on a pedestal base, painted in polychrome col...

Gesso, wood and silver leaf reliquary with window and door. Cool.

Rare and highly unusual antique Japanese statue of the esoteric deity 'Dakini Ten,' a Buddhist goddess who was associated with the agricultural...

Early 19th century carved lion figure An early 19th century hand carved Italian or Spanish representation of a seated lion figure. Anthropomorphism features which are typical of this period. Polychrome paint still visible across its surface with aged repairs and wear as expected, the gesso is visible in sections. Visible ribcage typical of the regions, the possibility this figure could have been part of a larger carved piece of décor furnishing or architecture display...

A monumental Hindu Nandi temple gate-guardian architectural ornament, born in India, dating to the 19th century, hand carved and painted, richly detailed, polychrome decorated, the wooden sculpture depicting Nandi, a sacred bull, gatekeeper, and vahana religious deity figure. Provenance: Acquired from The Neiman Marcus Corporate Art Collection. Details below. Dimensions: (approx) 49.5" x 43" x 12" An important religious folk art work, the Nandi is of carved wood and gessoed cloth, then hand-painted. In Hindu religion, Nandi is the mythical mount of Shiva. The four legs represent truth, righteousness, peace and love. More than a means of conveyance, Nandi is considered Shiva's constant companion on all his travels, so much so that in any temple dedicated to Shiva, there is a sculpture of Nandi. This symbol is a deity in its own right, and in India there are temples dedicated exclusively to Nandi. In Hindu symbolism, the bull represents both strength and ignorance. The white or light color of the bull symbolizes purity and justice. Symbolically, the seated Nandi towards sanctum in Shiva temples, represents an individual jiva (soul) and the message that the jiva should always be focused on the Parameshwara. From the yogic perspective, Nandi is the mind dedicated to Shiva, the absolute. In other words, to understand and absorb light, the experience, and the wisdom is Nandi, which is the guru within. The fact that Shiva uses it as a mount symbolizes how this divine figure removes ignorance while instilling strength and wisdom. A superb example, the life size work is in great overall shape, and presents wonderfully, having beautifully aged patina over the whole, highly desirable original, worn, rustic, naturally distressed, chippy paint, craquelure finish, that's delicate, and enhances the artistic antique character and rich historic depth. Detailed Condition Report: Fragile / delicate by design. Loss to one ear, age related checking and separation to carvings, fabric to hind quarters is released and tattered with minor loss, rubbing to paint throughout with wear indicative of age and use; later grey painted mounting blocks are attached to back and hooves. White glove in-home shipping/delivery available. Pickup available near Dallas, Texas Additional Provenance: Property from the Neiman Marcus Collection. Acquired from Heritage Auction, Design District Gallery, Dallas, Texas. From The Dallas Morning Newspaper; April 12th, 2021 Neiman Marcus is selling some of its history and valuables that have been displayed and stored for decades as part of the luxury retailer’s corporate art collection. The Neiman Marcus corporate art collection dates back to 1951, when Stanley Marcus (1905-2002), a life long avid art collector, purchased Mariposa, a large mobile by Alexander Calder and started a long tradition of buying original artwork for new stores as they opened. The Mariposa sold at a Sotheby’s auction last month fetching $18.2 million. The items are being offered through Sotheby's auction house, NYC, New York and Heritage Auction, Dallas, Texas. Many of the pieces were personally collected by Stanley Marcus from the 1960s through the 1980s. Some of the pieces are from corporate spaces, stores and the company’s archives, among the items are important antique textiles, tribal robes...

18th century English wood carved standing Chinese attendant with lotus bowl, The well carved and decorated figure with glass eyes, holding a 10 inch...

19th Century carved and painted wood figure of a troubadour or minstrel wearing a hat and long coat with his trousers tucked into knee-high boots and having a violin under one arm wi...

Early 20th century European clock tower automaton figures We are proud to offer an extremely rare set of European clock tower automaton figures, in the form of Persian / Turkish male dressed figures. Dated from the early 20th century, hand carved from wooden sections and detailed in gesso and paint. In completely original condition, later these figures have been secured to a 19th century ebonized wooden base for display purposes. These figures still have their original mechanisms in place, the metal rods extended from their backs, once pulled raise both hands and head, the mechanism is simple and on a pulley system. It is likely these figures would have been part of a larger group, which would have been animated once the clock tower struck upon the hour. This is the first time we have ever been able to obtain artifacts of this nature, and they are exceedingly rare in completely original form. Size in inches: H 24” x W 21” x D 10” Origin: Europe Period: 1900-1920 Material: Wood & Gesso Condition: These items are completely solid in structure and form. Wear is present across all the surfaces which includes crackled paint, worn surfaces, chipped gesso, and faded paint, these items are firmly secured to base pictured. The velour clothing...

This pair of antique toleware bouquet sculptures are branded on the bases by an unknown maker, and date to approximately 1880 and originate from France. The bases are done in pine wi...

Late 19th century carved baby Jesus Santos with glass eyes and custom display stand. Handmade with carved wood and gesso. Glass inset eyes. Left and r...

Late 19th century hand-carved Santos with inset glass eyes and original gesso paint surface. On custom museum display stand. Base measures 6" x 6".

A large scale heraldic gilt lion off naive depiction, constructed around a pine carcass with a thick hessian and plaster/gesso skin. The original gilt is beautifully faded, the pl...

Charming 1920s Wooden Fireman Sculpture, Charming Folk Art painted wooden statue of a pre-war of a fireman,  A great little piece he is in sound condition, he has had a repair...