Italian, 18th Century

in tooled leather case with hinged doors and stamped with an archbishop's armorial cartouche

Overall the condition of the relief is very good with some minor wear to the surface consistent with age and some slight surface dirt. The third finger of her proper left hand is missing. There is a small chip to His proper left big toe. There are a few nicks to the hem of the cloak falling over her right arm. Thre are some areas of mild abrasion in her hair.
"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."

This exquisite oval relief in its original tooled leather case combines the elegance of the eighteenth century period of its carving with the refined sweetness and grace of its Renaissance inspiration. The image, with its delicate gestures and details, is reminiscent of Florentine quattrocento sculpture, incorporating the very shallow relief work, popularised by Donatello and known as rilievo schiacciato. The present relief owes its inspiration to Madonna and Child reliefs by sculptors such as Antonio Rosellino and Desiderio da Settignano, both working in the mid 1400s.

However, the sophisticated treatment of this concave relief belongs to a later age. The focus has shifted from the sacred to the beautiful. The delicate gestures of the Virgin's small hands, rather gingerly clasping her emblematic lily and supporting the Christ Child, seem to emphasise her loveliness rather than the closeness between mother and child. Her features too display a change in taste, with the heavy lidded eyes, slightly sharp nose and dimpled chin more reminiscent of the madonnas of Pierre Monnot (1657-1733), for example in his relief of the Flight into Egypt in the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, than a Renaissance prototype.

The arms on the case are those of a bishop and the intimate, enclosed relief would have been the focus of a personal devotion.

RELATED LITERATURE
The Kunsthistorische Museum Vienna, The Treasury and the collection of sculpture and decorative arts, M. Leithe-Jasper & R. Distelberger, London, 1982, p. 68; R. Engass, Early Eighteenth-century Sculpture in Rome, London, 1976, nos. 22& 23; U. Schlegel, Die italienschen Bildwerke des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts, Berlin, 1978, no. 29