Spanish, probably Granada, 18th century

glass eyes turned heavenwards,  hands clasped in prayer

Overall condition good with minor chips to drapery. Polychrome refreshed at an earlier date
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Following the re-capture of Granada from the Moors at the end of the fifteenth century there grew up a lively artistic centre to accommodate the extensive building work of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Alongside the extensive building work and its attendant architectural sculptural schemes a tradition of freestanding sculpture began, exemplified by busts of Christ as Ecce Homo and the Mourning Virgin. The present bust can be compared to the work of José Risueño, in particular the figure of St Joseph and the Christ Child in the V&A Museum. The same open-mouthed and raised-eyes expression seems to implore heaven as the turbulent draperies echo the mood. It seems likely that the author of the present bust was working in Risueño’s circle at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Trusted, Spanish Sculpture, A Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1996, pp. 96-100