Alabaster Virgin And Child With Two Kneeling Figures (orants) – Trapani, 17th Century

A rare, free-standing sculptural group in alabaster, dating to the 17th century, depicting the Virgin and Child accompanied by two kneeling figures in prayer (orants).

The Virgin Mary carries the infant Jesus on her left arm; with her right hand, she holds a rosary, poised to pass it into the hands of the figure kneeling to her right.

She is dressed in a gown with sweeping, dynamic folds that fall to the ground, the drapery blending with the tunic of the infant Jesus and elegantly tracing the contours of his body.

The Child tilts his head slightly in a gentle gesture, delicately supporting an orb—a symbol of the world.

The faces of the kneeling figures are turned toward Mary and the Child, their expressions filled with tender devotion.

The entire composition rests upon a pedestal adorned with a crowned coat of arms (possibly the arms of the city of Trapani).

Traces of the original polychromy remain, particularly on the faces, which serves to highlight the expressions in the figures' eyes.

This charming sculpture belongs to a tradition of devotional imagery produced in the workshops of the Sicilian city of Trapani. From the 14th to the 18th century, these workshops specialized in creating religious sculptures for both private and public use, utilizing alabaster sourced from local quarries.

The piece is executed with great elegance, evident both in the refined handling of the sweeping, fluid drapery and in the graceful gestures of the figures.

Dimensions:

H. 37.5 cm x W. 18.5 cm x D. 7 cm

Sicily – Trapani

Alabaster

17th Century