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Ivory sculpture depicting Saint Sebastian, Germany, 17th-18th century

Total weight: 2532 g

Antique elephant ivory carving (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 or Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797) finely sculpted in the round depicting Saint Sebastian tied to a column of faux coral.

The saint is depicted half-naked with only a draped loincloth covering his private parts.

His face is raised in an expression of ecstatic suffering, his body shows muscular tension and his torso is pierced by the arrows of martyrdom made of gilded metal, accentuating the drama of the scene.

The base, in ebonised wood, features a carved rocky landscape and gilded metal applications: plant motifs on the sides and lion feet in the corners. At the front, in the centre of the base, there is an unidentified heraldic shield with a crescent moon pointing upwards (at the top), a horizontal band (in the centre) and a fish swimming horizontally, perhaps a stylised dolphin or a pike (at the bottom). It is plausible that the shield is emblematic/decorative (not a registered coat of arms), composed of devotional symbols: crescent moon (Marian) and fish (Christian symbol).

In its style, material and rendering of the body, the sculpture fits perfectly into the tradition of devotional art in ivory produced between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. German and Austrian workshops specialised in small sacred figures intended for both private use and Wunderkammer collections. The quality of the carving, combined with the richness of the wooden and bronze base, confirms that it was intended for aristocratic or convent use.

Height x width x depth: 34 x 21.5 x 16 cm

Height x width x depth figure: 18.5 x 6.5 x 2.5 cm

This lot, accompanied by a CITES certificate and expertise issued by Ce.S.Ar Centro studi archeometici, is only available for sale with shipments within the European Union. (expertise Ce.S.Ar. 2025-213)

Provenance:
Count Luigi Rigi Luperti collection.