A Spanish Painted Wood Figure of the Christ Child, From The Workshop of Juan Martínez Montañés, First Half 17th Century

the standing Child with his right hand raised in blessing, on separately carved contemporary base, rendered as a cushion upon gadrooned plinth, with later brocade and lace garment (not illustrated).

Areas of paint refreshed. Several fingers re-attached. Some age cracks. Minor chipping and surface abrasions throughout. Age crack on left side of base and some chipping and losses to base. Otherwise overall very good condition. Beautifully carved.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

RELATED LITERATURE

Beatrice Gilman Proske, Juan Martínez Montañés , Sevillian Sculptor, New York, Hispanic Society of America, 1967, p. 51-52, figs. 31-32

J. Hernández Díaz, Juan Martínez Montañés (1568-1649), Seville, 1987

The high degree of realism achieved in the work of Juan Martínez Montañés and his circle defined the direction of Spanish Baroque devotional sculpture in the seventeenth century both in Spain and her American colonies.  His anatomically proportioned figures are finished with lifelike polychrome; though Montañés himself did not paint his figures, he contracted only the most skilled masters to apply the color.  The gentle gaze, subtle contrapposto, and welcoming gesture of the present figure contribute to a tender and personal encounter with the young Christ.  Sculptural depictions of the Christ Child standing alone became quite popular in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, and were employed both in private quarters and in Eucharistic processions.  Compare to the 1606 version by Montañés in the Cofradia del Santisimo Sacramento, Seville (Proske, op. cit., fig. 31-32) and a lead version sold in these rooms, January 23, 2003, lot 201.