Crowned Virgin And Child In Alabaster — Mechelen (meuse Valley), Early 17th Century

An elegant alabaster sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary standing, crowned, holding the Infant Jesus on her left arm.
The Virgin is shown in a slightly swaying pose, wearing a long cloak with soft, deeply carved folds that cascade down in the characteristic style of early 17th-century Mechelen production.
Her face, with its gentle, idealized features, displays the delicate modeling made possible by the translucency of alabaster, the preferred material of the Mechelen workshops.
The Infant Jesus, also crowned, is depicted seated on her mother's arm in a natural pose.
The finely incised hair, the treatment of the hands, and the quality of the drapery testify to the expertise of the workshops in the Meuse Valley, whose production was widely distributed throughout Europe for private devotion.
The added gilded metal crowns contribute to the traditional devotional presentation of this type of work.
Work from Mechelen, Meuse Valley, early 17th century.

Dimensions:
Height: 40 cm.

Condition:
Heads of the Virgin and Child have been reattached previously; minor wear, slight chips, and soiling consistent with age.
The piece nevertheless possesses a beautiful presence and is easily legible.

This devotional sculpture is representative of early 17th-century Mechelen production, sought after for the finesse of its execution and the quality of its materials.

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