Renaissance Sculptures

Unique hand carved church or monastery statue of Saint and former lay brother Gerard Majella. Gerardo Maiella (6 April 1726 – 16 October 1755) was an Italian lay brother of the Congregation of the Redeemer, better known as the Redemptorists, who is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church. In 1893 this former lay brother was beatified and he was canonized in 1904. If you want to know more about this extraordinary lay brother and Saint then you can read about his life and qualities via the worldwide web. He is often depicted holding a crucifix, but you will never find an antique wooden sculpture of this holy man of this incredible quality workmanship, let alone one of this size. This is one of the largest wooden Saint sculptures...

An eye caching figural sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon, After Antoine Louis Barye. As the legend goes, Saint George—a soldier venerated in Christianity—defeats a dragon. The...

16th century Italian carved and polychromed figure of a male saint or prophet with a wonderful presence. Shown holding an open book in his right hand with flames at his feet, mid-16t...

The bust intricately carved from Italian Carrara marble with lifelike features including textured hair and shaped chest. The bust carved as Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Octavius (lat...

This striking pair of large sea fans is elegantly mounted on 19th-century Italian bases, adorned with turquoise paint and gilded details that exude class...

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...

A Lovely Pair of Medici Bronze Lions Lovely Patina and Definition C20th

This is an alabaster and marble bust of Saint Clare of Assisi. It depicts a young lady head/face covered with a cloak. She is looking down, very peacefully...

PAIR OF PORTUGUESE COLUMNS 17th Century in chestnut wood with carvings, decorated with plant motifs, putties. Small flaws, traces of treated woodpeckers. Dim.: 141 x 22 cm. very go...

An incredible and rare 15th century French carved limestone fragment depicting the back of a man's head with a wavy hair texture, and mounted on a c...

Fantastic reproduction of the famous saltcellar of Benvenuto Cellini, symbol of the world goldsmith's art. The master goldsmith made only very few copies of this wonderful object that makes it a unique piece in the world. 6.641 grams of solid silver. Some information on the original piece by Benvenuto Cellini: The Cellini Salt...

This is an alabaster group sculpture of the Cretan princess and daughter of the king Minos of Crete, Ariadne seated over her panther. Her left elbow is over the head of the panther a...

A rare and very fine bronze corpus of Christ after a model by Michelangelo, cast ca. 1597-1600 by Juan Bautista Franconio and painted in 1600 by Francisco Pacheco in Seville, Spain. The present corpus reproduces a model attributed to Michelangelo. The best known example, lesser in quality, is one on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The association of this corpus with Michelangelo was first brought to light by Manuel Gomez-Moreno (1930-33) who studied the wider circulated casts identified throughout Spain. The attribution to Michelangelo was subsequently followed by John Goldsmith-Phillips (1937) of the MET and again by Michelangelo expert, Charles de Tolnay (1960). While Michelangelo is best known for his monumental works, there are four documented crucifixes he made. The best known example is the large-scale wooden crucifix for the Church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito in Florence, made in 1492 as a gift for the Prior, Giovanni di Lap Bicchiellini, for allowing him to study the anatomy of corpses at the hospital there. In 1562, Michelangelo wrote two letters to his nephew, Lionardo, indicating his intention to carve a wooden crucifix for him. In 1563 a letter between Lionardo and the Italian sculptor Tiberio Calcagni, mentions this same crucifix (a sketch of a corpus on the verso of a sheet depicting Michelangelo’s designs for St. Peter’s Basillica [Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille] may reproduce this). That Michelangelo was working on small corpora in the last years of his life is further evidenced by the small (26.5 cm) unfinished wooden crucifix located at the Casa Buonarroti, considered his last known sculptural undertaking. Michelangelo’s contemporary biographer, Giorgio Vasari additionally cites that Michelangelo, in his later years, made a small crucifix for his friend, Menighella, as a gift. Surviving sketches also indicate Michelangelo’s study of this subject throughout his career, most notably during the end of his life but also during the 1530s-40s as he deepened his spiritual roots. The occasional cameo of crucified Christ’s throughout his sketched oeuvre have made it challenging for scholars to link such sketches to any documented commissions of importance. All the while, in consideration that such objects were made as gifts, it is unlikely they should be linked with commissions. Nonetheless, a number of theories concerning Michelangelo’s sketches of Christ crucified have been proposed and some may regard the origin of the present sculpture. It has been suggested that the corpus could have its impetus with Michelangelo’s work on the Medici Chapel, whose exclusive design was given to the master. It is sensible smaller details, like an altar cross, could have fallen under his responsibility (see for example British Museum, Inv. 1859,0625.552). Others have noted the possibility of an unrealized large marble Crucifixion group which never came to fruition but whose marble blocks had been measured according to a sheet at the Casa Buonarroti. A unique suggestion is that Michelangelo could have made the crucifix for Vittoria Colonna, of whom he was exceedingly fond and with whom he exchanged gifts along with mutual spiritual proclivities. In particular, Vittoria had an interest in the life of St. Bridget, whose vision of Christ closely resembles our sculpture, most notably with Christ’s proper-left leg and foot crossed over his right, an iconography that is incredibly scarce for crucifixes. The suggestion could add sense to Benedetto Varchi’s comment that Michelangelo made a sculpted “nude Christ…he gave to the most divine Marchesa of Pescara (Vittoria Colonna).” Of that same period, two sketches can be visually linked to our sculpture. Tolnay relates it to a sketch of a Crucified Christ at the Teylers Museum (Inv. A034) of which Paul Joannides comments on its quality as suggestive of preparations for a sculptural work. Joannides also calls attention to a related drawing attributed to Raffaello da Montelupo copying what is believed to be a lost sketch by Michelangelo. Its relationship with our sculpture is apparent. Montelupo, a pupil of Michelangelo’s, returned to Rome to serve him in 1541, assisting with the continued work on the tomb of Pope Julius II, suggesting again an origin for the corpus ca. 1540. The earliest firm date that can be given to the present corpus is 1574 where it appears as a rather crudely conceived Crucifixion panel, flanked by two mourners in low-relief and integrally cast for use as the bronze tabernacle door to a ciborium now located at the Church of San Lorenzo in Padula. Etched in wax residue on the back of the door is the date, 27 January 1574, indicating the corpus would have at least been available as a model by late 1573. The Padula tabernacle was completed by Michelangelo’s assistant, Jacopo del Duca and likely has its origins with Michelangelo’s uncompleted tabernacle for the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Rome. The impetus for the Padula tabernacle’s Crucifixion panel begins with a series of late Crucifixion sketches by Michelangelo, depicting a scene of Christ crucified and flanked by two mourners (see British Museum Inv. 1895.0915.510; Ashmolean Museum Inv. 1846.89, KP II 343 recto; Windsor Castle RCIN 912761 recto; and Louvre Inv. 700). A faintly traced block possibly intended for sculpting the sketch of the crucified Christ on its recto was discovered by Tolnay on a version of the composition at Windsor Castle. The Windsor sketch and those related to it appear to have served as preparatory designs for what was probably intended to become the Basilica of St. Mary’s tabernacle door. Vasari documents that the project was to be designed by Michelangelo and cast by his assistant, Jacopo del Duca. Michelangelo died before the commission was complete, though on 15 March 1565, Jacopo writes to Michelangelo’s nephew stating, “I have started making the bronze tabernacle, depending on the model of his that was in Rome, already almost half complete.” Various circumstances interrupted the completion of the tabernacle, though its concept is later revitalized by Jacopo during preparations to sell a tabernacle, after Michelangelo’s designs, to Spain for Madrid’s El Escorial almost a decade later. The El Escorial tabernacle likewise encountered problems and was aborted but Jacopo successfully sold it shortly thereafter to the Carthusians of Padula. An etched date, 30 May 1572, along the base of the Padula tabernacle indicates its framework was already cast by then. A 1573 summary of the tabernacle also describes the original format for the door and relief panels, intended to be square in dimension. However, a last minute decision to heighten them was abruptly made during Jacopo’s negotiations to sell the tabernacle to King Phillip II of Spain. Shortly thereafter the commission was aborted. Philippe Malgouyres notes that the Padula tabernacle’s final state is a mixed product of the original design intended for Spain’s El Escorial, recycling various parts that had already been cast and adding new quickly finished elements for its sale to Padula, explaining its unusually discordant quality, particularly as concerns the crudeness of the door and relief panels which were clearly made later (by January 1574). Apart from his own admission in letters to Spain, it is apparent, however, that Jacopo relied upon his deceased master’s designs while hastily realizing the Padula panels. If Michelangelo had already earlier conceived a crucifix model, and Jacopo had access to that model, its logical he could have hastily employed it for incorporation on the door panel to the tabernacle. It is worth noting some modifications he made to the model, extending Christ’s arms further up in order to fit them into the scale of the panel and further lowering his chin to his chest in order to instill physiognomic congruence. A crude panel of the Deposition also follows after Michelangelo’s late sketches and is likewise known by examples thought to be modifications by Jacopo based upon Michelangelo’s initial sculptural conception (see Malgouyres: La Deposition du Christ de Jacopo del Duca, chef-d’oeuvre posthume de Michel-Ange). Jacopo’s appropriation of an original model by Michelangelo for more than one relief on the Padula tabernacle adds further indication that the crucifix was not an object unique to Jacopo’s hand, as few scholars have posited, but rather belongs to Michelangelo’s original...

Bronze male sculpture signed. Fonderia Giorgio Sommer Calabritto Napoli Thomas, sculptor, lived and worked in the Naples area, and especially on Capri, from 1889 to 1906. Given this ...

A wonderful 16th century draped female torso in classical style. Made in France under Italian Renaissance influence this female torso is finely sculpted with great detail to the stol...

Renaissance bronze medallion made by Master IOFF in the mid 15th century, showing the mythological scene of Ariadne on Naxos. Made in the mid-15th ...

Beautiful weathered oak winged angel head Renaissance ornament. France, 16/ 17th century. Weathered Measurements include the wooden pedestal.

The statue of the Biblical figure, David, is considered to be one of Donatello's landmark works and a milestone in the Italian Renaissance. This statue is entirely made of silver dep...

Stunning life-size carved wood sculpture of a man's head dating from circa 1700 in the south of Europe.  

An impressive marble bust of "Rebecca at the Well" after Antonio Piazza (Italian 1875-1925). The sculpture is executed in a beautiful beige marble showcasing Rebekah with her arms ...

Mid-19th century over life-size carved marble statue of Michelangelo's "Bacchus". Grand Tour copy through the "Point To Point" method directly from the original keeping its masterful proportions and Fine details in an exact size to Michelangelo's work. We have never seen a 19th century copy of this Renaissance Masterpiece of this size and are quite fortunate to be responsible for its stewardship until purchase by a discerning collector The original "Bacchus" is a marble sculpture by the master, Michelangelo, created circa 1496 when the artist was 21. This statue was originally commissioned by Cardinal Raffaele Riario. However, it was rejected by him and eventually found its way to Jacopo Galli, Cardinal Riario’s banker and a friend of the sculptor, who purchased it in 1506. Some 66 years later it was bought for the Medici and transferred to the royal house in Florence, Italy. Currently it can be viewed at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. It is one of just two sculptures surviving Michelangelo’s initial period in Rome, with the other being Pieta. The artwork: This somewhat oversized...

A Very Rare and Important Marble Relief of the ‘Resurrection of Christ’ Attributed to the Master of the Mascoli Altar Marble Venice, Italy Second half of the 15th Century SIZE: ...

Paolo di Giovanni Sogliani (Florence 1455-1522) Processional Cross Florence, around 1515 Enameled, chiseled, engraved, stippled, and gilded copper; wooden core ; Inscription: "OPA...

Beautiful weathered oak panel with an wonderful primitive angel figure. On the bottom of this angel you can also see two small eagle heads. France, circa 1550-1650, weathered, small...

A Very Large Virgin and Child in walnut wood, carved in the round, trampling on Eve biting into the apple. The theme of the Virgin and Child is the most represented in all Christian...

A well-modelled, mid 19th century statuary white marble bust of Dante Alighieri, famed late 13th to early 14th century Italian philosopher, writer and poet. Originating from Italy, ...

A large 16th Century German carved basswood sculpture of Saint Sebastian. Probably lower Rhine, Germany . Circa mid to late 16th Century. Well carved deep relief sculpture, with de...

Set of two 16th century oak panels, one representing a character accompanied by a dog, the other a character in flames, probably saints. These ...

Wonderful signed patina bronze sculpture by Juan Clara Ayats on an onyx base of two girls playing with a chair, Spanish artist (1875-1958).   

Oak sculpture of Saint Anne, 16th century. Large oak sculpture of Saint Anne. Work from the Upper Rhine, Basel region. First third of the 16th century. An arm is missing from the i...

Rare and important Italian white marble bust sculpture of Jesus Christ, C. 1850. A truly exceptionally carved marble relief of Holy Jesus Christ. ...

Decorate a study or a man's office with this elegant antique plaque. Crafted in France circa 1880, the wall decor features a coat of arms with a medieval royal knight...

PAIR OF CORBELS 19th century Portuguese brown wood Profuse decoration with plant motifs. Dim.: 38 x 31 cm good state

This is an old large Spaniard hand painted and carved wood nude baby Jesus. He has hand painted large expressive eyes and eye brows. His abundant hair is bro...

Italian Alabaster Figure of the Medici Lion Late 19th century Italian carved alabaster 'Grand Tour' souvenir sculpture, after the antique, "The Medici Lion". Carved alabaster mode...

19th century Renaissance marble relief. The relief is carved to the Renaissance taste and is in very good condition. It is framed in a later frame ...

Four antique bronze plaques depicting water-nymphs, by Ferdinand Barbedienne French, 19th century. Measures: Height 47cm, width 12cm, depth 2.5cm Finely cast in relief from patinated bronze with parcel gilt patina, these French 19th Century panels each depict a Classical female water-nymph. The relief structure and design is after four panels from the important marble fountain from the Renaissance period in Paris called the Fontaine des Innocents. This was created by the French sculptor Jean Goujon...

20th century French stone lion holding a shield on a pedestal. A 20th century lion carved from stone holding a crest carved with a lion with wearing a crown. It is a representation o...

This compelling Italian 19th century white glazed porcelain sculpture depicts ‘The Rape of the Sabines’, after a monumental work by the Renaissance artist, Giambologna (1529-1608) th...

Formerly known as the "Master of Magione", Nero Alberti da Sansepolcro established a workshop around Perugia in the mid 16th century specializing in the production of devotional imag...

Spanish school of the sixteenth century. "Saint Paul". Carved and polychrome wood. Devotional image of a round piece carved in wood, polychrome and gilded, representing the Apostle ...

Large double patina bronze representing the Florentine Singer of the 15th century, signed P Dubois Fr The young and elegant boy, standing, plays and sings, leaning against a column:...

Exceptional pair of aigles of the 16th century of Italy Superbe pair of wooden sculpted aigles from the Italian Renaissance. Very Fine and delicate sculpture The pair of eagles se...

Hand Carved Stone Column Base pedestal Sculpture Doorstop Decorative Element LA . Nicely hand carved 17th century Renaissance stone column base appli...

Renaissance Winged Cherub Relief
Florence, Second Half of the 15th Century
Stone with traces of polychromy Provenance: Important private collection, Northern Italy This exceptional...

Impressive pair of patinated bronze firedog andirons in Renaissance style. They are decorated with alternating vases of flowers topped by winged cupids...

Grand Tour Verdigris Marble After Giambologna, The Abduction of a Sabine Woman' Italy, Mid- 19th century, Attributed to the workshops of Benedetto Bosch...

"Ferdinando Vichi", Florence 1875-1945. Romantic figure of sitting woman. Made in marble, sitting on a chair made of bronze, original pedestal of green, Italian marble. Sign. Vichi. Ca. in 1900. Ferdinando Vichi (1875-1945) was a central figure in the production of Florentine sculpture...

2 Italian Renaissance style objet d'art ostrich eggs mounted on bronze triple griffin bases (19/20th Cent) (PRICED EACH)

Italian renaissance hand carved wooden "putto" angel head, circa 15th Century Width 14 inches / height 14 inches / depth 4 inches 1 available in stock in Italy Order reference #: FAB...

Paul Fournier (French, 1859-1926): A large bronze figure of a minstrel playing a lute the figure in Renaissance dress, looking to dexter and seated o...

Exceptional altarpiece representing the annunciation circa 1600, fruitwood rare altarpiece from the North of Portugal, unique due to its large size representing the scene of the annunciation, where the Archangel Gabriel (represented on the bottom left), sent by god (represented on the top left) announces to Marie (bottom right) that she will give birth to Jesus. Very good state of conservation, carved on three panels Dimension: Height 1m51 Width 1m03 Very nice colour and exceptional dimensions Restorations of use We placed the altarpiece on a red velvet base and a Spanish occasional...

A very finely cast late 19 century Grand Tour bronze replica of the renowned statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni on horseback set on a verde antico marble base after the life sized bronze statue by the Renaissance sculptor Andrea Del Verrocchio...

Antique Tiffany & Co number 2114 bronze sculpture portraying a scene from Quentin Durward. Written by Walter Scott and published in 1823, Quentin Durward is the story of a young Scot...

An exceptional Renaissance style patinated and gilt bronze cherub base made in the early to mid 19th century. The figure holding a 10 inch diameter solid crystal ball. Beautiful qu...

Stunning early 1600s press with hand-carved heraldic lion sculptures. In the same decade that a young painter by the name of Rembrandt van Rijn w...

Vintage Polychrome Plaster Bust of Ippolita Maria Sforza in the Renaissance Style After Francesco Laurana. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: 19" H x 19" W x 9" D.

Sterling, Bone, & Semi-Precious Gems Figure of a Court Jester Germany, Early 20th Century A meticulously cast and modeled Medieval / Renaissance Figure of the Court Jester...