Sculpture, The Immaculate Conception, - 40 cm - Terracotta

The Immaculate Conception, terracotta bozzetto
Flanders, ca. 1700
Terracotta, H. 40 cm.

This expressive terracotta sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary standing upon clouds, her hands crossed on her chest in an attitude of humble devotion. Beneath her feet lies the serpent, symbol of the vanquished sin of Eve, recalling the words from Genesis: “She shall crush thy head.” The serene expression and gentle movement of the drapery embody the humility and divine grace traditionally associated with the Immaculate Conception.

The back of the sculpture is hollowed out and bears visible modelling marks, suggesting that this piece functioned as a bozzetto, a sculptor’s preliminary model used to develop the overall composition and emotional tenor of a larger work in marble or wood. The soft, plastic treatment of the surface and the naturalistic handling of the drapery are characteristic of Flemish Baroque sculpture around 1700, when artists such as Willem Kerricx and Jan Claudius de Cock were active. The restrained yet deeply devotional expression of the Virgin reflects the Counter-Reformation ideals of piety and grace that defined religious art in the Southern Netherlands.

Overall in good condition, possibly some parts of the serpent missing