Italian, 18th century

on later wood socles  

Overall the condition of the wax is very good. Thre is some wear and dirt consistent with age. The tanned figure has visible restorations and some minor cracking running along the left side of the nose down to the upper lip and along his cheeckbone to under the ear. There is another crack running from the proper left corner of the mouth. There is a small chip to the proper left side of the truncation at the back. The other figure has restored cracks running from both corners of the mouth and to the truncation.
"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."

Wax, one of the oldest sculptural media, is an ephemeral substance. Very few baroque waxes have survived the vicissitudes of time. Wax can emulate the human form and imitate flesh to a shocking degree of accuracy. The present pair of heads were most likely conceived as part of votive effigies and attached to clothed mannequins.  Early-modern votive effigies (ex-votos) were commissioned by donors in fulfilment of a vow. They were intended as perpetual "stand-ins" in front of a votive image within a church. This practice was popular among the upper classes in many Italian cities from the thirteenth century onward. 

RELATED LITERATURE
The Color of Life: Polychromy in Sculpture from Antiquity to the Present, exh. cat. Getty Villa, Los Angeles, 6 March – 23 June 2008; R. Panzanelli,ed.,  Ephemeral Bodies: Wax Sculpture and the Human Figure, Oxford, 2008