Sculpture, Vierge à l'Enfant - 38.5 cm - Wood

Virgin of the Child with Crown – Carved and polychromed wood – Popular religious art – 20th century with a modern polychromy – 38.5 cm

Old and expressive crowned Virgin of the Child in solid carved and polychromed wood, belonging to the tradition of popular religious statuary.

The Virgin is depicted standing, wearing a crown and holding the Child Jesus transversely in her arms. The sculpture shows a particularly expressive artisanal craft, with individualized faces, large finely incised hands, deeply carved hair, and long folds of clothing worked directly in the wood.

The work retains a rich polychromy: blue for the Virgin's mantle, red for her tunic and hair, yellow on the lateral panel, skin tones for the faces and hands, and yellow-gold tones on the crown.

The numerous surface wear allows one to observe, in places, different tones and underlying layers, possibly indicative of successive retouchings or polychromy campaigns throughout the history of the sculpture.

The reverse, deliberately plainer than the front, preserves traces of woodwork and confirms the artisanal nature of the creation. The base is directly integrated into the sculpture.

The piece has a pronounced and particularly decorative patina, acquired over time and deliberately preserved.

Condition

The sculpture is presented in its current state, with marks clearly visible in the photographs.

The polychromy shows wear, crazing, and occasional losses. A small crack of wood shrinkage, starting from the base and rising onto the rear part, is visible.

The crown also has several old losses at the tips.

These alterations have not been masked and today contribute to the authentic character and patina of this sculpture.

No recent restoration known.

Characteristics
Subject: crowned Virgin with Child
Type: religious sculpture / popular art
Material: solid carved wood
Technique: sculpture and polychromy
Estimated dating: 20th century
Origin: undetermined
Signature: no signature or identifiable mark

Height: 38.5 cm
Width: 11 cm
Depth: 7 cm
Weight: 850 g

This crowned Virgin with Child constitutes a fine example of popular religious statuary in polychromed wood, particularly interesting for its naive expression, the entirely handmade sculpture, and the traces left by its history.

The piece is sold in its current condition. Detailed photographs of the face, the Child, the crown, the reverse, the base, and the crack are an integral part of the description and allow precise assessment of its conservation state.