155

Ivory sculpture depicting Saint Thomas Aquinas, Sicily, late 17th - early 18th century

Height x width: 18.2 x 2.3 x 4.9 cm. Height x widt x depth base: 9 x 10 x 6.4 cm. Ivory weight: 270 g. Total weight: 751 g

sculpted in the round, the saint is depicted standing, wearing a Dominican habit and a metal halo attached to the back of his head.

He holds a closed book in his left hand and raises his right hand in an oratorical gesture.

On his chest stands out the flaming sun, emblem of his theological wisdom.

The face is delicately modelled, the drapery is soft and realistic, an expression of the island's Baroque sculpture. The figure rests on a finely carved Baroque alabaster base decorated with scrolls.

Due to the quality of the workmanship, the accuracy of the details and the choice of fine materials, this sculpture fits right into the refined Sicilian devotional production between the 17th and 18th centuries.

The work reflects not only the profound religiousness of the period, but also the cultured taste and prestige of the private patrons for whom it was intended.

On the back of the sculpture is an inscription with the words “Palermo - De Ciccio”. The sculpture was probably part of the collection of the collector and antiquarian Mario de Ciccio, a refined exponent of an elite culture of the late 19th century.

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. 2025-178)