Antique Chinese 17th Century Sino-portuguese Christian Jesuit Ivory Virgin & Child

A rare Chinese carved ivory devotional figure of the Virgin and Child, dating from the 17th century.

An interesting example of Sino-Portuguese Christian art, produced in China for the Catholic missionary and export market, closely associated with Jesuit missionary activity in China and the Portuguese trading networks of the period.

The seated Virgin holds the Christ Child upon her left knee. The Child raises his right hand in blessing and holds an orb in his left hand. The carving combines traditional European Christian iconography with the distinctive interpretation of a Chinese ivory carver.

These fascinating early Christian ivories represent the meeting of European religious imagery with Chinese artistic traditions and were produced for missionaries, churches and Christian patrons.

The ivory has developed a rich, warm patina with fine age cracks. There is a small burn mark to the left side of the Virgin's veil, and her feet are chipped, as clearly shown in the photographs.

Mounted on a later stepped wooden display stand.

Ivory height: 10.3 cm
Wooden stand height: 5 cm
Overall height: 15.3 cm

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