Sculpture, Grande scultura di Angelo genuflesso in legno intagliato e dorato - XVII - 79 cm - Wood

Fascinating and imposing high-era sculpture in wood, entirely carved in the round, depicting a kneeling Angel on a cloud. The work, in terms of dynamism, expressiveness, and stylistic setting, fits perfectly within the prestigious tradition of Italian Baroque sculpture (Central-Southern area or Venetian) of the 17th–18th century.
The angel is captured in a dynamic pose of adoration or offering, originally conceived as part of a more complex altar apparatus or as a ceremonial element.
Artistic details and materials:
• Quality of carving: Of excellent craftsmanship, the splendid rendering of the densely curled hair stands out, along with the intense expressiveness of the face and the softness of the drapery enveloping the hips, moved by a strong sense of plasticity, chiaroscuro, and movement.
• Antiqued finish: The surface retains important and fascinating traces of the original gold leaf and antique polychromy. In the deeper folds of the wood, the typical plaster and red bole preparation layer, characteristic of Italian workshops of the period, is still clearly visible.
• Patina: The wood exhibits a magnificent warm, dark patina, layered by time, which unequivocally attests to its authenticity and high historical value.
Condition:
The sculpture presents itself structurally solid and exudes the great charm typical of high-era objects. Being an antique artifact of over two centuries, it shows the normal and coherent signs of time:
• It is noted the absence of the fingers of the left hand (extended forward), worn or partly missing at the end.
• A natural vertical crack from wood shrinkage on the back (along the back and the drapery), typical of ancient wooden blocks, is present.
• Widespread and historical losses of the gilding and surface preparation, which reveal glimpses of the underlying wooden core, and old insect holes now stable and no longer active.
All details are faithfully documented in the rich photographic gallery, which forms an integral part of the description.
Local pickup given the sculpture’s peculiarity or shipping at the buyer’s expense