Portrait Statuette Of The Virgin Of Sorrows, Carved From Fruitwood In The Louis XIV Style, With A Tortoiseshell Base, 17th Century

Our Lady of Sorrows, carved from fruitwood or walnut, 17th century, with a Louis XIV-style pedestal featuring red tortoiseshell-style decoration

Beautiful carved wooden Virgin of Sorrows, likely made of fruitwood or walnut, 17th century, presented on an attached Louis XIV-style base with red and black tortoiseshell-style decoration.

Dimensions: total height 31 cm; Virgin alone 20 cm.

A very beautiful devotional sculpture depicting the Virgin of Sorrows, or Mater Dolorosa, with her hands clasped, her head slightly bowed, and her face marked by silent grief. The figure follows the iconography of the Virgin at Calvary, associated with the Passion of Christ and the prophecy of the sword piercing Mary’s heart.

The sculpture displays a beautiful sense of movement in the drapery. The deep, dynamic, and enveloping folds enliven the silhouette and create a highly expressive play of shadows. The cloak forms broad folds around the body, with a composition that is still Baroque in style, typical of 17th-century devotional works. The face, more folk-art-like and contemplative than academic, gives the figure a deeply moving presence.

A small visible hole on the chest may correspond to the location of a former added attribute, most likely a sword of sorrow that is now missing. This detail reinforces the identification as the Virgin of Sorrows: in this iconography, Mary’s chest is frequently pierced by a sword symbolizing her suffering at the Passion of Christ.

The wood, with its antique reddish-brown patina, is more reminiscent of fruitwood or walnut than boxwood. The sculpture retains a beautiful presence despite its small size, with a warm texture, well-defined reliefs, and a highly decorative antique patina.

The Virgin is displayed on an attached Louis XIV-style base with red and black tortoiseshell-style decoration. This base, adorned with gilded brass side consoles, gives it a very elegant cabinet display. This is likely a later addition, perhaps from the 19th century, intended to highlight an older religious sculpture. The combination of the antique Virgin and the tortoiseshell-style base creates a beautiful cabinet piece, straddling the line between sacred art, religious curiosities, and antique decoration.

Condition: original condition with wear, minor imperfections, signs of handling, and missing parts. Visible veneer loss on the base, particularly at the corners and edges. Wear on the sculpture’s patina.