Monumental Antique Wooden Statue of Mary and Child – 17th Century

Are you looking for an authentic antique wooden statue of Mary to enrich your interior with a deep, historical soul? This monumental, early baroque masterpiece is a rare find for the connoisseur of unique art objects. With its impressive height of 80 centimeters and a massive weight of no less than 15.7 kilograms, this object makes an absolute statement in any space. A powerful piece of religious heritage that fits perfectly with the contemporary preference for a rugged, sober, or wabi-sabi interior.

This impressive antique wooden statue of Mary portrays Mary as the Queen of Heaven. This is immediately recognizable by the sharp, upright points of the royal crown on her head. On her left arm, she tenderly carries the Christ Child (Jesus). When we look at the base of the sculpture, we discover a beautiful and finely carved detail: the face of a winged angel, also known as a putto. This specific motif is very characteristic of the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period in the Northern Netherlands.

The sculpture is handcrafted from a single solid hardwood trunk, most likely oak. On the back of the object, it is clearly visible how the traditional woodcarver shaped the graceful, undulating movement of Mary's locks of hair. Clear fragments of the original chalk or gesso layer are also still visible here. In the seventeenth century, this lime layer served as the necessary smooth base for the colorful paint (polychromy) and the precious gold leaf that was applied to the statue at the time.

This unique antique wooden statue of Mary breathes pure history and has developed a magnificent, weathered patina over the centuries. The wood shows authentic traces of an eventful history. One of the most striking features is the deep, natural vertical shrinkage crack that runs along the back. This type of cracking is an inevitable physical process in objects carved from the full heartwood of a tree trunk. As the wood dries out over the centuries, it shrinks faster in width than in length, allowing the tension to escape through such a crack. In the world of early sculpture, this is precisely seen as the ultimate and irrefutable proof of authenticity.

If you love the popular wabi-sabi lifestyle, which focuses on the beauty of imperfection, then this Madonna fits in seamlessly. The object bears the scars of time: Mary's lower right arm is completely missing, and the face and little arms of the Christ child have also worn away over the centuries. It is precisely these silent gaps that give the sculpture its mysterious, serene, and museum-quality appearance. It is not a dime-a-dozen reproduction, but a unique piece of living history for the connoisseur.

The origin lies in seventeenth-century sculpture in the Northern Netherlands with understated, robust oak sculptures for private devotion.

When looking at the detailed photos, the characteristic small holes in the wood immediately catch your eye. These are the exit holes left by woodworms that infested the oak in the past. When purchasing old wood carvings, this is often a concern for collectors, as active woodworm can be harmful to your other furniture. However, we can fully reassure you: this antique wooden statue of Mary It has recently undergone a complete and professional fumigation. This means that the biological infestation has been completely stopped, the woodworm 100% has been rendered inert, and the painting can be safely displayed in your home or store.

Are you curious about the rich tradition and techniques behind these kinds of historical objects? On the official website of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands you can find comprehensive information on the conservation of historic wood. In addition, for similar early religious works of art, you can visit the online collection of the Museum Catharijneconvent, the national museum for Christian art in Utrecht.