How old are these wooden religious statues?

The pieces span from the late medieval period and the sixteenth century through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with some nineteenth-century examples. Dates are determined by stylistic markers, carving techniques, and the type of wood employed by the historical workshop.

What wood was used for these carvings?

Carvers utilised a variety of timbers depending on the region and the scale of the intended sculpture. Common materials include oak, walnut, limewood, pine, applewood, and lindenwood, often sourced locally by the makers.

Did these figures retain their original paint?

Many statues retain traces or substantial layers of their original gesso, polychrome paint, and gold leaf finishes. Over the centuries, some pieces were stripped of their pigment to expose the bare wood, while others underwent later repainting.

Where were these statues originally displayed?

These sculptures stood in churches, private chapels, and domestic shrines across continental Europe. They served as focal points for prayer, procession, and religious contemplation in ecclesiastical and domestic settings.