Important Cuzco School Madonna of the Pear, Silver-Faced Child, 17th Century

A striking Colonial Peruvian devotional sculpture depicting the Virgin of the Rosary, carved in maguey wood and presented with an impressive antique silver crown and richly layered textiles. Created within the artistic traditions of the Andean world, the sculpture reflects the distinctive fusion of Spanish Baroque devotional models and local craftsmanship that characterized religious art in Colonial Peru. Particularly noteworthy is the use of maguey wood, a lightweight material traditionally employed in Andean sculpture and strongly associated with the religious imagery produced in Peru and the Cuzco region. The figure displays a serene and expressive face, glass eyes, delicately modelled hands and a commanding vertical presence. Its imposing silhouette is enhanced by elaborate period and later textiles, recreating the appearance these devotional images would have presented in churches, chapels and private oratories throughout the colonial period. The sculpture is accompanied by a substantial antique Peruvian silver...

Baroque Virgin and Child with Peruvian Silver Crown, Spain, 18th Century A magnificent Baroque sculpture carved in wood and polychromed, depicting the Virgin and Child. The Virgin i...

A deeply evocative Spanish Baroque carving of the Virgin Immaculate, dating from the 17th century. Executed in carved and polychromed wood, the figure is shown in prayer with hands j...

An elegant 18th-century Spanish Colonial Virgin and Child sculpture, carved in wood and retaining its original polychromy. Produced in Peru during the colonial period, the sculpture ...

Spanish Colonial Madonna and Child Peru or Bolivia, late 18th – early 19th century A finely carved Andean polychrome wood figure of the Virgin and Child, the Virgin shown in a chara...

A most spectacular antique Spanish Colonial figure of Madonna, Mexico circa 19th century possibly earlier. Constructed in plaster with carved and gilt wood accent. Realistic in style...

Completely hand-crafted in 18th century Spain, this sculpture of the Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception stands 1.5 meters / 5 feet tall, is topped by a silver halo / crown, 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, truly 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 contracted 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. In this case, 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...

Beautiful votive figure depicting the Madonna with silk clothes and silver crown, on a wooden base painted with imitation marble. Small size, southern Italy manufacture in the secon...