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ID #SA1243278
FOR SALE
£3,000
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Italian Polychrome Carving St John the Baptist C1680
For sale by Timberhill Gallery
for sale €3,510     $3,810
£3,000
Timberhill Gallery

Timberhill Gallery

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2014
Browse dealers 85 items
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Id #SA1243278
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Italian Polychrome Carving St John the Baptist C1680

17th century
Description

A wonderful and finely carved figure of St John the Baptist, shown pointing [toward Jesus]. Polychrome colouring still in good condition, mounted on a later detachable display plinth, with velvet remanats.

Date of Manufacture

Timberhill Gallery has dated this Italian Polychrome Wood Carving to the 17th Century.

Independent Date Check ID 09702946
Dealer's Item Date17th Century
Sellingantiques Date17th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 295-380 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 17TH CENTURY:
Hand-hewn back with broad gouge marks: sculpted to stand in a church retable.
Gesso under-layer visible where paint has worn: early continental workshop practice.
Deep shrinkage along the wood grain: natural drying over centuries.
Flowing drapery folds and expressive hand gesture: Baroque styling.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
50cm (19.69")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
19cm (7.48")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1243278
Description
A wonderful and finely carved figure of St John the Baptist, shown pointing [toward Jesus].
“
Polychrome colouring still in good condition, mounted on a later detachable display plinth, with velvet remanats.
Timberhill Gallery
Date of Manufacture

Timberhill Gallery has dated this Italian Polychrome Wood Carving to the 17th Century.

Independent Date Report ID 09702946
Dealer's Item Date17th Century
Sellingantiques dating17th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 295-380 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 17th Century:
Hand-hewn back with broad gouge marks: sculpted to stand in a church retable.
Gesso under-layer visible where paint has worn: early continental workshop practice.
Deep shrinkage along the wood grain: natural drying over centuries.
Flowing drapery folds and expressive hand gesture: Baroque styling.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
50cm (19.69")
Width
28cm (11.02")
Depth
19cm (7.48")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1243278
Timberhill Gallery
Timberhill Gallery
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2014
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Timberhill Gallery Profile Page

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A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth.
1 / 8
Archive I A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth.

Italian Polychrome Carving St John the Baptist C1680

Archive II A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View II
Archive III A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View III
Archive IV A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View IV
Archive V A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View V
Archive VI A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View VI
Archive VII A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View VII
Archive VIII A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth. View VIII
Enlarged Archival View
Timberhill Gallery

Timberhill Gallery
Telephone 07805 249 756
Location
Bungay
Suffolk
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/bungay
Verified Since Feb 2014
Items For Sale 85
Items Sold 105
Timberhill Gallery
Timberhill Gallery
Verified Since Feb 2014
View Dealer Info
Location: Bungay, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/bungay
Verified
Feb 2014
For Sale
85
Sold
105
A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth.
Italian Polychrome Carving St John the Baptist C1680
Ref: SA1243278
A 17th-century Italian carved polychrome wooden figure of Saint John the Baptist with raised finger and draped robes set upon a carved plinth.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectSculptures
  • Period17th century
  • StyleItalian Baroque
  • MaterialCarved Wood, Gesso, Polychrome Paint
  • ColourWarm Brown
  • MotifsRaised index finger, Draped folds of robes, Tiered plinth base, Hand-painted polychrome finish
  • SizeH 50 cm (20 in) x W 28 cm (11 in) x D 19 cm (7 in)

This seventeenth-century Italian Baroque sculpture depicts Saint John the Baptist seated upon a tiered cloud-like formation and resting on a later detachable display plinth with red velvet remnants. The hand-painted carved wood figure exhibits a warm brown polychrome finish with draped folds of robes, a raised index finger, and detailed facial features. Visible signs of age include surface wear to the paintwork and natural splits within the timber. Measuring 50 cm high, 28 cm wide, and 19 cm deep, the piece sits upon a rectangular wooden base with moulded edges. Placed atop a sideboard in a living room, hallway, or study, the sculpture integrates well into traditional or Gothic-inspired interior settings as a focal decorative object.

FAQs

Polychrome wood carving from the Italian Baroque period refers to wooden sculptures decorated in multiple colours of paint, gesso, and leafing. Created primarily during the seventeenth century, these works were commissioned for churches, private chapels, and devotional settings, characterized by dramatic movement and layered paint application.

Sculptors carved figures from seasoned softwoods or hardwoods such as lindenwood, pine, or walnut. A canvas or gesso base layer was applied over the carved timber, followed by tempera or oil pigments and gold or silver leaf detailing.

Authentic period pieces display age-appropriate wood shrinkage, natural cracking along the grain, and flaking or oxidisation of the gesso and paint layers. Tooling marks from hand chisels are visible beneath the gesso, along with evidence of historic joinery.

Sculptures of this nature are styled as focal points on a sideboard top, mantelpiece, or in an alcove. Displaying carved figures against neutral walls or alongside contemporary linear objects creates a balanced textural contrast.

Dust gently using a soft, dry camel-hair brush to prevent disturbing fragile paint or gesso layers. Keep the carving in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight, central heating, and high humidity to prevent wood movement and flaking paint.
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