Saint Fiakier, granite, France (Brittany), 2nd half. XIX century.
Folk sculpture depicting St. Fiacre (Saint Fiacre), patron saint of gardeners, herbalists and protector of hemorrhoid sufferers, whose ailment was even referred to as "St. Fiacre's disease" in France for centuries. It is maintained in the traditional simplified Breton style. The figure is shown standing, clad in a habit with a clearly marked hood. The saint's face with a gentle expression is characterized by primitivism of form - wide-set eyes and a delicately outlined smile are typical of folk workshops referring to Romanesque patterns.
The key attribute of the figure is a shovel (spade) held vertically in front of him, the handle of which is embraced by both hands of the saint. This alludes to the legend of the miraculous demarcation of the garden at the Brie monastery.
The sculpture is an excellent example of Breton stone craftsmanship. It combines a devotional and utilitarian function (guardian of the home garden), being an authentic testimony to rural piety and aesthetics in the most Celtic region of late 19th century France.
A racy example of French folk art (Art Populaire). The figurine impresses with its primitive, "archaic" form, which fits well in both garden spaces and modern, minimalist interiors.
Dimensions: ca. 30 cm (height) x 11.5 cm (width) x 11 (depth)
Saint John the Evangelist, late Gothic wooden sculpture, ca. 1500
Full-plastic sculpture depicting St. John the Evangelist , made of wood, dated around 1500. The figure is shown in counterpoint, with a slightly bowed head and entwined hands holding a book - an attribute of the Evangelist. The sculpture is preserved in its original polychrome, with a visible structure of pigment layers and natural cracking of the wood.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
Sculpture of a god’s head (Zeus or Hercules), marble, Mediterranean basin, Hellenistic period
Monumental sculpture depicting the head of a bearded god, probably Zeus. The hair and beard form wavy, loose curls; a long mustache descends on the sides and frames the closed mouth. The face has a serious, focused expression, with a slightly flattened nose and furrowed brows. The eyes are carefully modeled, with a distinct upper eyelid, without marked pupils. The sculpture is made of white marble. The piece dates from the Hellenistic period in Greece, circa 300–200 BC.
Singa Barong, polychrome wood, Indonesia, 19th century.
A striking polychrome wood sculpture depicting Singa Barong - a mythical winged lion, known from Balinese and Javanese traditions. The creature is shown in a watchful position, sitting on an ornate base with its mouth open and teeth bared. The figure's appearance is completed by its distinctive bulging eyes, curled tail and mane. Its body is covered with linear motifs resembling tattoos, its breast is adorned with a wide necklace and its front paws with bracelets. The sculpture was most likely associated with a protective function, both in temple and domestic spaces.
St. Augustine reliquary with Ex Ossibus relic, polychrome wood, gilded, Italy, 18th century.
An expressive figural sculpture depicting a half-figure of St. Augustine in episcopal vestments, with a heart in his hand. The sculpture is the finial of a console in which was placed a relic of the first class (Ex Ossibus), described "S. Augustini", protected by an intact church seal. The work of polychrome and gilded wood, made in the 18th century, in an Italian workshop, representing a good artistic level.