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ID #SA1176677
FOR SALE
£1,850
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16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel
For sale by Skippings Fine Arts
for sale €2,165     $2,350
£1,850
Skippings Fine Arts

Skippings Fine Arts

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2018
Browse dealers 167 items
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    Modern french & continental pictures selected by a former french auction house expert
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16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel

16th century
Description

This remarkable, deeply evocative fragment is a hand-carved piece of religious statuary from 16th Century France. It depicts the torso of a serene figure, likely a Saint or Archangel, such as Gabriel or Michael. The figure is presented with long, flowing hair and a noble, slightly youthful face, suggesting a male figure of heavenly or devotional importance.

The piece captures the transition in French art from the Late Gothic period to the emerging Renaissance style, evident in the figure's gentle, naturalistic expression and the carefully rendered drapery around the neck.

It is a timeless relic: over the course of four centuries, the fragment has shed its original polychromy (paint and gesso), revealing the beautiful, raw, and deeply textured wood grain. Its deep cracks, wormholes, and splits speak of its immense age. The Angel's his spirit has not been broken - miraculously, his beautiful face has remained entirely intact. Dating from ca 1500 and sculpted in dense wood, he was probably created by a master carver in Picardy or the Champagne region. Provenance: a chateau near Reims.

Physical Dimensions
Height
46cm (18.11")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
15cm (5.91")
Declaration

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this French Renaissance Wood Sculpture to the 16th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1176677
Dealers Notes

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.

Description
This remarkable, deeply evocative fragment is a hand-carved piece of religious statuary from 16th Century France. It depicts the torso of a serene figure, likely a Saint or Archangel, such as Gabriel or Michael.
“
The figure is presented with long, flowing hair and a noble, slightly youthful face, suggesting a male figure of heavenly or devotional importance.
Skippings Fine Arts
fig 1. A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.
fig 1. 16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel

The piece captures the transition in French art from the Late Gothic period to the emerging Renaissance style, evident in the figure's gentle, naturalistic expression and the carefully rendered drapery around the neck.

fig 2. A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.
fig 2. 16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel

It is a timeless relic: over the course of four centuries, the fragment has shed its original polychromy (paint and gesso), revealing the beautiful, raw, and deeply textured wood grain. Its deep cracks, wormholes, and splits speak of its immense age. The Angel's his spirit has not been broken - miraculously, his beautiful face has remained entirely intact. Dating from ca 1500 and sculpted in dense wood, he was probably created by a master carver in Picardy or the Champagne region. Provenance: a chateau near Reims.

Height
46cm (18.11")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
15cm (5.91")
Date of Manufacture

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this French Renaissance Wood Sculpture to the 16th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1176677
Skippings Fine Arts
Skippings Fine Arts
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2018

Modern french & continental pictures selected by a former french auction house expert

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Skippings Fine Arts Profile Page

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A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.
1 / 8
Archive I A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.

16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel

Archive II A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View II
Archive III A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View III
Archive IV A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View IV
Archive V A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View V
Archive VI A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View VI
Archive VII A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View VII
Archive VIII A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair. View VIII
Enlarged Archival View
Skippings Fine Arts

Skippings Fine Arts
Telephone 0747 257 2398
Location
Norfolk
United Kingdom

By appointment
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/skippingsfinearts
Verified Since Feb 2018
Items For Sale 167
Items Sold 686
Skippings Fine Arts
Skippings Fine Arts
Verified Since Feb 2018
View Dealer Info
Location: Norfolk, United Kingdom, , By appointment
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/skippingsfinearts
Verified
Feb 2018
For Sale
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A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.
16th Century French Renaissance Wood Sculpture Fragment of a Saint or Angel
Ref: SA1176677
A weathered 16th-century French Renaissance carved timber sculpture fragment depicting a religious figure with detailed drapery and long hair.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
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Detail View 7
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectSculptures & Statues
  • Period16th century
  • StyleFrench Renaissance
  • MaterialOak, Timber
  • ColourNatural Wood
  • MotifsCarved drapery, Hand-carved facial features, Textured patina
  • SizeH 46 cm (18 in) x W 28 cm (11 in) x D 15 cm (6 in)

This sixteeth-century French Renaissance sculpture fragment depicts the upper torso of a saint or angel holding a palm frond in natural timber. The hand-carved religious statuary displays long, flowing hair framing a serene face, a decorative carved collar, and intricate folds of heavy drapery over the shoulders and chest. The dense oak surface has lost its original paint and gesso to expose a raw, warm brown wood tone with prominent deep cracks, wormholes, splits, and an aged, textured patina across the front and back. The fragment measures 46 cm high, 28 cm wide, and 15 cm deep. Placed on a mantelpiece or a display shelf in a traditional living space or study, it provides a striking focal point with centuries of historical character.

FAQs

Renaissance wood sculptures from 16th-century France display a transition from late Gothic stylisation to classical proportions, featuring naturalistic drapery and detailed facial features carved predominantly from native European hardwoods.

Sculptors primarily utilised dense, locally sourced hardwoods such as oak, fruitwood, or walnut, carving single timber blocks with chisels and gouges prior to applying decorative finishes or leaving the grain exposed.

Authentic period carvings exhibit evidence of hand-tooling, natural wood shrinkage along grain lines, historical pest activity such as flight holes, and original patination developed over centuries of exposure.

A carved wooden fragment can be mounted on a bespoke metal plinth, displayed on a mantelpiece, or positioned within an open bookshelf to serve as a textural focal point against contemporary backdrops.

Maintain the item in a stable environment with controlled humidity, away from direct heat sources. Dust gently with a soft dry brush and apply microcrystalline wax sparingly to protect the timber surface without obscuring the historic patina.
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