Carved Figurative Sculptures
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Technique: Carved
19th Century French Patinated Spelter Figure of Joan of Arc on Horse
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate an office of a study with this elegant statue of Joan of Arc, the iconic French heroine and saint. Crafted in France circa 1870, the antique figure sits on a rectangular bas...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Spelter
Sculpture Stone Mother
Child Biomorphic Mid-Century Modern
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
A large, 28“ high, modernist, biomorphic, Mother & Child, stone sculpture, mid-20th century. Artist unknown. Private Collection.
This marble sculpture is equally striking displaye...
Category
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Marble Statue
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
A large (almost life-sized) antique Carrara marble statue of a Roman legionary. Dressed in typical Roman soldier costume and with sword and shield in ...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Classical Roman Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Carrara Marble
$47,973
Religious Carrara Marble Bas-Relief/Sculpture
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Marble Bas-Relief of Two Apostles. It depicts a large and heavy uprise white Carrara marble bas-relief/ sculpture of two apostles standing up together. The left one is Sain...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Carrara Marble
$11,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Monumental Pair French 19th Century Putto Flambeaux Urns Torchere Urn Sculptures
By René Rozet 1
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Monumental Museum Quality Pair of French 19th Century Figural Gilt and Patinated Bronze Rosso Granite Marble Flambeaux Urns, each depicting a pair of standing allegorical and whimsical playful children (Putti) holding a flaming urn, by René Rozet...
Category
1890s French Louis XV Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Granite, Bronze
19th Century French Marble Base Bronze Sculpture "Escholier" Signed E. Picault
Located in Dallas, TX
This beautiful antique bronze figure, was created in France, circa 1880. The realistic sculpture, titled on the front: "Escholier, 14eme Siecle", (meaning middle French, 14th century...
Category
Late 19th Century French Medieval Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Igorot Tribesmen Figural Hunter
Huntress Carvings on Plinths 20th Cent
Located in Charleston, SC
Pair of Igorot tribesmen figural wood carvings depicting hunter and huntress with companion canines, weaponry, and standing on two circular fluted pli...
Category
Mid-20th Century Philippine Anglo-Indian Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Mahogany
18th Century Italian Crucifix on Emerald in Matrix on Mica
By Interi
Located in Dublin, Dalkey
Sculptural 18th century Italian crucifix mounted on emerald in matrix on a reflective mica base.
The crucifix artifact is originally hand carved wood with silver leaf from a church ...
Category
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Rock Crystal
1960s Carved Wood Tiki Totem Sculpture Of A Knight
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1960s Carved Wood Tiki Totem Sculpture Of A Knight
Solid Wood feels heavy - initials RJP
Bit of wood missing on underside of base (as shown - part of carving)
Category
1960s Vintage Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Chinese Carved Marble Sitting Guanyin
Located in Bradenton, FL
Marble statue of carved statue of the Buddhist goddess known as Guanyin, sitting in the lotus position. The peaceful and serene expression on her face conveys calm. She ie also know...
Category
19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
20th Century African Cameroon Namji Doll for Prosperity, Health
Fertility
Located in Miami, FL
20th Century African Cameroon Namji Doll for Prosperity, Health & Fertility
Offered for sale in a 20th-century African Namji doll from the Namji tribe of ...
Category
20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Late 19th-Early 20th C. French Alabaster Statue
Located in San Francisco, CA
Stunning alabaster statue depicting a maiden selling flowers in the style of Ada Cipriani.
Late 19th-early 20th Century - France
No visible signature
16" W x 14" D x 49.5" H
Category
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
19th Century Giltwood Polychrome Statue of Madonna
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century giltwood polychrome statue of Madonna is a superbly artistic rendition of the Mother of Jesus, uncharacteristically holding our both han...
Category
1850s French Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Giltwood
Old wooden sculpture by an unknown artist from Japan
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
This is a very old wooden sculpture.
No details are known, but it was found in Japan.
It appears to be based on a European female figure.
So it is estimated to have been made afte...
Category
20th Century Japanese Primitive Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Hand Carved Antique Alabaster Sculpture / Statue of The Dying Gaul, Grand Tour
Located in Lisse, NL
Handcarved and remarkable work of art of the 'Dying Gaul’ or 'The Dying Galatian'.
If you are a collector of rare and good quality antiques then this rare and wonderfully hand carve...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
"Artist
s Model, " Rare and Important WPA Era Sculpture of Male Nude
By Raymond Turner
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Beautifully sculpted from a ruddy block of mahogany and finished with a patina that gives it a lovely glow, this piece is a superb example of WPA-era sculpture. The artist, Raymond T...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Mahogany
Stone Buddha Amitabha Statue
Located in Somis, CA
A large and finely carved Tang-style stone statue of Buddha Amitabha, masterfully rendered with a serene, full-cheeked face beneath neatly gathered hair and a prominent ushnisha. The...
Category
20th Century Chinese Tang Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
$4,500 Sale Price
47% Off
Ferdinando Vichi Italian White Marble Sculpture of a Female
Located in New York, NY
Magnificent white marble statue of an elegant woman pulling petals from a flower, as in the popular 19th century game, he loves me, loves me not. by the Florentine sculpture, Ferdina...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
19th Century Black Forest Carved Deer
Located in High Point, NC
19th century Black Forest hand carved figure of a Chamois deer, bending down to eat foliage. The carving is lovely and in very good condition for its age.
Category
19th Century Swiss Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Fruitwood
19th Century Austrian Carved Pine Folk Art Farmer and His Oxen Model
Located in London, GB
19th century carved pine folk art farmer and his oxen model
We are proud to offer a unique example of a late 19th century hand carved pine folk art model of a farmer and his oxen. R...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Folk Art Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Pine
African Marble Sculptures
Located in New York, NY
African marble sculptures on Lucite base, circa late-20th century. Green carved marble female and male head bust sculptures adhered to top of rectangular Lucite base. A great decorat...
Category
Late 20th Century Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Monumental 80" Figurative Hand Carved Sculpture by Robert Brady
By Robert Brady 2
Located in Buffalo, NY
Robert Brady was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. Upon graduation from high school he attended the California College of The Arts in Oakland, Ca. receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1969. Later he attended University of California, Davis, receiving a Masters of Fine art in 1975. Recently retired Emeritus, he served as Professor of Art from 1975-2013 at California State University, Sacramento.
Trained as a potter, Brady’s interest quickly steered toward a path of ceramic object making and sculpture, ultimately gaining national and international recognition. Approximately 24 years later, Brady, fortuitously discovered the beauty and merits of wood as a sculptural medium. Since then, Robert has produced work in both clay and wood, with an emphasis on wood. Mixed media, bronzes, works on paper and functional pottery are also part of his output.
Brady has had over 50 solo exhibits and participated in many group exhibitions throughout the United States, and Europe, both in private galleries and public Museums. His works can be found in permanent collections in galleries and museums such as The Smithsonian (Renwick), The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, and the Stedelijik Museum in Amsterdam, Holland, as well as others. Lastly, his work is found in private collections too numerous to mention.
He has received three National Endowment Individual Artist...
Category
1990s American Folk Art Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
18th Century Italian Scroll Fragment on a Red and White Hematoid Quartz Heart
By Interi
Located in Dublin, Dalkey
18th century Italian gilded scroll fragment mounted on a polished red and white hematoid quartz heart. The piece is inspired by "The Sacred Heart" in Catholic art history which symbo...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Quartz, Rock Crystal, Gold Leaf
Chinese Stone Seated Shakyamuni Buddha Stele, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This carved stone stele depicts the historical Buddha, known also as Shaka, Shakyamuni, or Siddhartha Gautama. Seated in perpetual meditation, the Buddha embodies virtues of wisdom and composure. Hand-carved of limestone in the style of Northern Wei (386-535) statuary, the Buddha is depicted upon a lotus plinth with legs crossed in lotus position. His hands are held downwards in bhumisparsha mudra, a gesture representing the moment that the Buddha claimed the earth as witness to his awakening.
The Buddha has a peaceful, benevolent expression and is framed by a halo of concentric circles. His figure is surrounded by attendant bodhisattvas, carved in relief on the curved stele behind and platform below. Leafy tree branches add a naturalistic touch to the background, wrapping around to the back of the stele to form a canopy above a second, smaller Buddha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
Wood Low-Relief Depicting a Werewolf and Saint George
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Exceptional polychrome wood low-relief depicting a werewolf and saint george after a woodcut by lucas cranach (“DER WERWOLF” 1512)
Provenance :
collection Brimo de Laroussihle
colle...
Category
16th Century German Renaissance Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Pair of Italian Hollywood Regency Giltwood
Tole Violet Topiary Sculptures
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Italian Giltwood & Tole Violet Topiary Sculptures
Italy, circa 1950s
A stunning pair of Italian giltwood and tole violet topiary sculptures, dating back to the 1950s. Each s...
Category
20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Two Carved Mayan Deity Limestone Architectural Carvings or Elements
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Two carved Mayan deity limestone architectural carvings or / elements, 19th century or older
The larger measures 7" W x 5.5" H x 4.5" D with a 2.5" protrusion
The smaller measures ...
Category
19th Century Central American Pre-Columbian Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
$2,360 Sale Price / set
20% Off
"First Born, " Art Deco Marble Sculpture by Chester Beach, Influenced by Rodin
By Chester Beach
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Full of tender affection and familial love, this marble sculpture is one of the finest works of Chester Beach, one of America’s foremost sculptors in the...
Category
1920s American Art Deco Vintage Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
19th Century French Antique Metal Sculpture, The Noble Man by L. Hollot
By L. Hollot
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique statuary by L. Hollot French Sculpturor ( 1836 – 1897 ) representing a standing noble man with umbrella, in good condition. Created of Zamak with a very detailed craftsmenship and details. The sculpture is positioned onto a hand carved limestone pedestal...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone, Metal
Tranquil Chinese Stone Bodhisattva Head
Located in Chicago, IL
Exuding an energy of calm and tranquility, this larger-than-life stone bust depicts a Buddhist bodhisattva in serene meditation. A disciple of the Buddha, a bodhisattva is a compassi...
Category
20th Century Chinese Qing Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Limestone
Antique Adjustable Dressmaker Skinny Mannequin , Austria, 1890s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A great looking originally used by Austrian tailors and dressmakers for draping, alterations, and creating the latest fashion, this vintage dressmaker mannequin...
Category
1890s Austrian Folk Art Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Early 20th Century Art Deco Gilt Bronze Sculpture "Isis" by Claire Colinet
Located in London, GB
An exquisite early 20th Century French Art Deco gilt bronze figure of a young female dancer seated upon a shawl that she is lifting either side of her. The surface decorated with enamel painted ancient Egyptian design, exhibiting excellent colour and detail. Raised on a marble base and signed Cl.J.R.Colinet
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 42 cm
Width: 56 cm
Depth: 21 cm
Condition: Excellent Original Condition
Circa: 1925
Materials: Bronze & Marble
Book Ref: Art Deco & Other Figures by Bryan Catley
Page: 117
SKU: 9176
ABOUT
Colinet
Claire Jeanne Roberte Colinet (1880–1950) was French sculptor of Belgian birth who worked during the early-to-mid 20th century. The subject matter of her best known work was primarily Arab female dancers. The majority of her career output in sculpture can be classified as being of the Art Deco style.
Colinet was a frequent exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Francais and Salon des Independents art exhibitions in Paris. Her sculptures, most of which depicted beautifully figured, energized, and dramatic female forms, were exhibited posthumously at the Paris Salon for nearly 30 years.
Early Life
Colinet was born in Brussels, Belgium, in 1880. Little is known about her life other than the artwork she produced during a successful career that spanned more than 40 years. As a woman, she was in the minority in her chosen field of sculpture during the era in which she worked and lived.
Career
At an undetermined date – probably around 1910 – Colinet emigrated to Paris, France, where she studied sculpture under the watchful eye of Jef Lambeaux and exhibited for the first time at the Salon des Artistes Francais in 1913 and became a permanent member of the organization in 1929. From 1937 to 1940, she exhibited at the Salon des Independents in Paris and joined the Union of Women Painters and Sculptors. Colinet's work is primarily done in the Art Deco style, and her models included odalisques, exotic dancers, jugglers and artists of cabaret.
A number of her female dancer pieces were influenced by a revival of the Orientalism movement which had been popular in Europe from about 1860 to 1880. Her preferred casting material was bronze; however, a number of her most distinguished sculptures are chryselephantine, being a combination of both bronze and ivory.
Colinet's sculpture has become highly desirable to collectors and, increasingly, is selling for exorbitant sums. At a Christie's sale on 4 May 2007, her Ankara Dancer...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
18th Century Italian Sunray on a Blue Celestite Sphere with Blue Coral
By Interi
Located in Dublin, Dalkey
18th century Italian gold leaf sunray mounted on a blue celestite sphere and wrapped in perfectly coordinating blue preserved coral.
The 18th century gold leaf sunray was once a par...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Coral, Quartz, Rock Crystal, Gold Leaf
$1,387 Sale Price
25% Off
Ferdinando Codognotto Wooden Hand Sculpture, Roma, 2015
Located in New York, NY
Ferdinando Codognotto Wooden Hand Sculpture, Roma, 2015.
Expertly carved from what we gather as Swiss Pine. The hand sits upon a dowel on the...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Earth Globe Black and Teak N°2 Sculpture
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Earth globe black and teak n°2 all
in hand-carved natural teak root and with black
volcanic sand. On swivel base with easy
rotative syste...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Sandstone
Large Wooden Sculpture "Joy" by Ole Wettergren, Danish Modern, 1980s
Located in Odense, DK
A large wooden sculpture by Danish artist Ole Wettergren, created in the 1980s. Joy reflects Wettergren’s characteristic precision in sculptural form and his dedication to the natura...
Category
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Bacchus - Southern Italy, late 17th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Bacchus
Southern Italy, late 17th century
Alabaster Sculpture
H: 20 cm
A finely carved 17th-century alabaster sculpture of a naked Bacchus. This Italian alabaster figure depicts ...
Category
17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
$2,019 Sale Price
35% Off
18th Century Italian Carved Wood and Polychromed Figure of Baby Jesus
Located in Ballard, CA
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...
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Silver
Italian 18th/ 19th Century Carved Giltwood Neo Classical Style bird Ornament
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful handcarved giltwood bird ornament.
Italy circa 1780-1820 . Weathered and small losses
Measurements individual and include the wooden base.
H:23,5cm W:41cm D:6,5cm
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$472 Sale Price
50% Off
Ethiopian Wood Head Rest With Silver White Metal Beads and Dangles, Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
An old well used Ethiopian head rest with attached oxidized silver or white metal beads and dangles.
It is in good condition with wear, polish and eros...
Category
Mid-20th Century Ethiopian Tribal Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Antique Circus Clown with Poseable Arms and Caracterful Smile
Located in Leuven , BE
An intriguing example of a fully articulated circus puppet marionette, in the form of a clown. This figure is fully articulated with iron strings support...
Category
20th Century French Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Rare Signed Dante Zoi Alabaster Sculpture of Two Children, Italian, Circa 1920s
By Dante Zoi
Located in Lisse, NL
Handcarved, endearing and remarkable Classical Realism / Figurative work of art, weighing 23.15 pounds.
A tender and exquisitely hand-carved alabaster sculpture by Italian artist Da...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
Benin Kingdom Ebony Carving of a Young King Oba, Nigerian
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Wonderful hand carved ebony hardwood figure of a young Benin man, possibly a
future King Oba
Excellent traditional Benin artistic carving
A delightful piece
Circa 1970
Height 13...
Category
Late 20th Century Beninese Folk Art Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ebony
18th Century Spanish Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception, Handcrafted Sculpture
Located in Madrid, ES
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...
Category
18th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Silver, Gold Leaf
$30,598 Sale Price
20% Off
Asian Carved Jade Grape Cluster/Bunch Hard Stone Fruit w/Leaves Decorative
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
This is a Realistic and wonderfully pleasing cluster of carved jade grapes with darker jade carved leaves. I love these semiprecious stone carved stone fruit sculptures and have othe...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Jade
$288 Sale Price
34% Off
The Farnese Bull, fragmentary Relief, early 17th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Fragmentary relief from the early 17th century made of marble. The relief is modeled after the Farnese Bull, a Roman colossal sculpture that was excavated in the 16th century and is ...
Category
Early 17th Century Austrian Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
17th Century Spanish Wooden Crucifix Figure Sculpture
Located in Marbella, ES
17th century Spanish wooden crucifix figure sculpture.
Category
Mid-17th Century Spanish Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Rounded Zong Sculpture, Nephrite Jade by Robert Kuo, Hand Carved, Limited
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rounded zong sculpture
Nephrite jade
Hand carved
Stainless steel
Hand repousse
Limited edition
Each individual jade vary in shapes and color
Known as the “Stone of Heaven,” ...
Category
2010s Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Jade
Pair of Continental Carved and Polychromed Wooden Cornucopias, 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Continental Carved and Polychromed Wooden Cornucopias, 19th Century
These finely carved and polychromed wooden cornucopias exemplify the enduring symbolic power of the horn of plenty in European decorative arts. Each composition is rendered in high relief, the ribbed horn issuing an abundant cascade of fruit and vegetables—pomegranates, grapes, melons, pumpkins, gourds, citrus, corn, and floral sprays—arranged with exuberant Baroque fullness. Now mounted on forged iron bases for display, the pair measures 20" high × 28" wide × 3.5" deep, including stands 12.5" x 6" (carvings alone 28" wide × 17" high × 3.5" deep).
The Cornucopia in History
Originating in antiquity, the cornucopia (Latin cornu copiae) was first associated with Amalthea, the goat who suckled the infant Zeus, whose horn became a miraculous source of nourishment. In Roman culture it was carried by deities of abundance—Fortuna, Abundantia, and Ceres—as an emblem of civic prosperity and the cycles of nature. Revived in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the cornucopia became a favored motif in architecture, painting, and decorative arts, symbolizing divine blessing, seasonal plenty, and the wealth of the natural world.
Iconography of the Fruits and Vegetables
The profusion of produce is not merely decorative but encodes symbolic meanings rooted in both classical and Christian traditions:
Pomegranates—fertility, eternal life, and resurrection.
Grapes—festivity, vintage, and the Eucharistic blood of Christ.
Melons and Watermelon Slices—sensual abundance, refreshment, and ephemeral pleasure.
Pumpkins and Gourds—autumn harvest, transformation, and the cycles of plenty.
Corn (Maize)—sustenance and prosperity, reflecting New World influence on European symbolism.
Citrus Fruits—health, luxury, and Mediterranean prosperity.
Floral Sprays—seasonal beauty and the transience of life, underscoring vanitas themes common in still-life art.
This allegorical language aligns the carvings with the broader European tradition of abundance imagery found in still-life painting, silverwork, and architectural ornament.
Continental Style and Possible Origin
The sculptural density, dramatic overlapping of forms, and naturalistic rendering suggest a Continental origin, likely Austrian, German, or Italian, c. late 19th century. While Swedish decorative carving of the same era tends toward flatter surfaces and folk stylization, these examples embody a more theatrical Baroque and Rococo inheritance, later enhanced with a polychrome or silver-toned surface to heighten their decorative impact. Originally conceived as architectural appliqués...
Category
19th Century European Neoclassical Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
Indo-Portuguese sculpture "Lady Conception" 17th century, H 147cm
Located in Madrid, ES
Indo-Portuguese sculpture "Lady Conception" 17th century, H 147cm.
Our Lady Conception Indo-Portuguese teak wood carving from the 17th century.
Upholstered and polychrome . T
he ...
Category
17th Century Portuguese Renaissance Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Antique Nupe Carved Wood Stool With Openwork Geometric Design, Niger Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Well used and loved Nupe carved hardwood wood stool with four legs and central post, openwork geometric design, with stylized multiple dancing animal or lizard forms. Large conical ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Nigerien Tribal Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
An antique 18th century Walnut European Santos - Saint figure on a plinth
Located in Leesburg, VA
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...
Category
Early 18th Century Belgian Baroque Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Walnut
Romer italy hand carved desk top artist with palette and brush sculpture
Located in Ferndale, MI
Whimsical carved figure of artist in smock with paint palette and brush . Hand carved in Italy late 1960s into the seventies . This is one of many carved figures depicting trades and...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Marble Helmet - France, 17th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Marble Helmet
France, 17th century
Marble
25 × 27 × 18 cm
This finely carved marble helmet, adorned with a grotesque mask, exemplifies the 17th-century fascination with antique-i...
Category
17th Century French Renaissance Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
A 16th century carved marble sculpture of poseidon
Located in London, GB
This fine and imposing sculpture is an excellent example of 16th century Italian craftsmanship. The figure is stood on a raised, shaped rectangular base with a carved "dolphin" at th...
Category
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Carved Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Late 15th Century Polychrome Wood Carving Depicting the Nativity
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
While the birth of Christ is briefly told in the Gospel of Luke (2, 7) it is in the apocryphal texts that we find most of the elements and details that have then inspired artists. As of the 14th century and even more of the 15th century the subject of the Adoration of the Child replaces in Western art the scene of the Birth, much favoured in Byzantine art. Instead of being depicted lying with the new-born swathed in the manger, the Virgin is now kneeling, her hands joined in prayer in front of the naked child. This change was probably hastened by the popularity of the visions of Saint Bridget of Sweden to whom the Virgin allegedly appeared to show how she had given birth to Jesus (Visions, VII, chap. 21).
Sheltered by a thatch-roofed structure the Virgin is kneeling in front of the Child Jesus. She wears a magnificent red dress under a large gold cloak. Her curled blond hair is partially veiled. The newborn is lying on a straw mat. Joseph is depicted with a parted beard and stands opposite from the Virgin. He wears a tunic and a coat with a purse hanging from the belt. His costume reminds us of the long journey him and Mary have accomplished to reach Bethlehem.
Two other women are present. One is looking through the stable’s window to observe the Holy Family while another one kneels in prayer in front of the divine child. The rich costume of the lady might indicate she is a donator.
However they could also both represent the women who took part in the birth of Christ, Zelemi and Salome. Salome, incredulous did not believe in the virginal conception of Mary and she is represented far from the scene. The artist has depicted her with an expression of doubt on her face. Zelemi, on the contrary, is a believer. She is rewarded by a place of honour at the heart of the scene, close to Mary.
To the left the donkey and ox that have accompanied Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem observe quietly the scene.
On the foreground two angels hold a scroll reading an excerpt from the Gloria : “/Gloria/ in excelsis /Deo/.” One of the angels wears a blue cape while the other’s is red Those two colours are very significant as during Middle-Ages blue symbolises hope and red charity. Together they express the hope in redemption thanks to the advent of Christ and his sacrifice to come.
Above the main scene, up a cliff, a small shepherd lets his herd of sheep graze amidst the trees. He is framed by two walled cities.
This wood carving is the work of a very skilled and inventive artist. The piece bears witness to his exceptional talent. The realism of the scene is emphasised by the amount of details depicted. The refinement of the carving itself is highlighted by the well preserved polychromy.
This key moment of the New Testament is set in a contemporary context thanks to the clothes of the characters and the scenes of rural life. The universal dimension of the scene is intensified while allowing contemporary viewers to grasp its meaning more easily.
This care for details, the picturesque realism as well as the extraordinary rendition of the cloths suggest it was made by a Flemish artist during the late 15th century.
This relief can be compared with the panel of the Nativity from the Saint-Vaast altarpiece made by Jacques Daret between 1433 and 1435, today in Madrid’s Thyssen-Bronemisza Museum.
Literature
Louis Réau, Iconographie de l’Art chrétien...
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