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18th-century Neapolitan Madonna under globe. This type of sacred art was very popular in Naples at the time.
Typical 18th-century Neapolitan mixed technique: head and hands in polychrome terracotta or carved and painted wood. Here, the face is pale, almost whitened by time, with fine features and a gentle, skyward expression. This is the signature of Neapolitan workshops. The Madonna wears genuine period textiles: an embroidered blue silk dress, covered with an antique lace mantelet and apron. The fabrics are often precious: silk, brocade, Burano lace. The Madonna is standing, one hand on her heart or chest, the other along her body. This is a very common devotional pose for Virgins "at prayer". A small cross can be seen on her chest. She sometimes held a rosary or a flaming heart.
3. Presentation under a globe
The glass globe on a black base is a highlight to protect her.
The silk motifs and type of lace correspond to the Louis XV / Rococo style. 2. The face: Polychromy is softer and more naturalistic than that of the 17th century, and more expressive than that of the 19th century. These pieces were used for private devotion in Neapolitan bourgeois homes. Today, an 18th-century Madonna complete with original vestments and globe is a sought-after collector's item.