Virgin Of Compassion, Important Bust Sculpted In Onyx And Alabaster, Late 19th Century

A very beautiful and moving representation of the Madonna as Virgin of Compassion, a sculpture from the late 19th-century Italian school.
This bust, carved in slightly veined white onyx, rests on a molded alabaster base. The face, also made of alabaster, is set beneath the hood of the cloak covering the Virgin's shoulders. The extremely delicate features of the face are imbued with both serenity and mercy. The treatment of this alabaster figure enhances its beauty by its inclusion in a veritable onyx setting.
Onyx is a stone of the chalcedony family, belonging to the group of semi-precious stones. Its translucent and crystalline structure gives it the ability to transmit light, as evidenced by some of the photographs taken with backlighting.
The use of onyx in this sculpture, due to its property of capturing and reflecting light, creates a halo around the Virgin's face, thus contributing to the refinement of this work, which exudes a certain spiritual aura.
There are a few chips on the base of the alabaster terrace.
Weight: 16.5 kg.