Wood carving with ivory inserts, Indo-Portuguese, late 17th - early 18th century

Height x width x depth: 21.5 x 12.5 x 7.5 cm Total weight: 600 g

The composition features the Madonna enthroned at the center, with Saint Joseph to her left, recognizable by his mature features and beard. To her right is a headless figure, likely originally an angel or a saint—possibly Saint Anne or Saint Joachim—based on traditional iconography. The faces of the Madonna and Saint Joseph are carved in ivory, displaying clear signs of fine chiseling and expressive rendering of their features. The clothing of the figures, rich in folds and now faded decorations, recalls the European Baroque style, reinterpreted with local taste and techniques. The throne, large and shaped, is decorated with vegetal motifs and scrolls typical of Western aesthetics, but presents a compositional structure that reflects the influence of Eastern craftsmanship. The traces of gilding and the wear of the polychromy not only reveal the antiquity of the artifact but also suggest intensive use in a devotional context.

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. 2025-167)