Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 0380

Post Medieval Relief with St Francis Scene

ITALIAN, 18TH CENTURY A.D. OR LATER

29 1/2 in. (75 cm high including stand).

A carved marble figural panel depicting a religious scene, probably St. Francis of Assisi receiving the Holy Stigmata; a kneeling figure in loose-fitting cowl and habit with knotted cord to the waist, arms spread and head raised towards a chiaroscuro sunburst with a figure at the centre, wearing a loincloth and affixed to a plain cross, borne up by three pairs of wings attached to the shoulders and thighs; below, a second, smaller figure holding a book; all in a landscape with a tree at right behind the larger figure; mounted on a custom-made stand.

Provenance

English private collection.

Footnotes

The scene probably represents the events just prior to the end of the life of St. Francis of Assisi: while he was praying on a mountain with his companion, Brother Leo, he is said to have had a vision of a seraph (a six-winged angel on a cross) which gave him the gift of the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. The apparition caused a deterioration in Francis's health and no cure could be found, so the saint spent the remaining days of his life dictating his spiritual message to Leo, who preserved the record of these events.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process


AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 0380

Post Medieval Relief with St Francis Scene

Estimate £1,200 - 1,700€1,390 - 1,970 (for guidance only)$1,620 - 2,300 (for guidance only)

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Bactrian Style Lapis Lazuli Bead Necklace
    Bactrian Style Lapis Lazuli Bead Necklace
    20th century A.D. or earlier

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £65

    A lapis lazuli necklace composed of coin-shaped beads. 14.8 grams, 80 cm long



    Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

    Lot Details

  • Ethiopian Maskal of Kernebege Type Hand Cross with Inscription
    Ethiopian Maskal of Kernebege Type Hand Cross with Inscription
    17th-18th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £520

    A bifacial wooden cross comprising intertwined elements with trefoil finials, resting on a tall stem decorated with wavy lines enclosed within a geometric frame, the stem resting on a tabula with an inscription on the front and vegetal decorative element on the back, rhomboidal termination with inscribed cross on both sides; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 600 grams, 43 cm high (50.7 cm high including stand)



    Acquired from Owen Hargreaves, 2003. UK private collection.

    The Ethiopian manual cross is usually divided in three parts: the cross at the top; the handle; and a square element, the tablet, at the base. It is not easy to define the origin of the cross-borne tablets. There are three suppositions as to what they signify: according to one, the tablet represents the earth with its four corners. According to the second one, the tablet represents Adam's grave on Calvary. The third one is that it represents the Tabot, the highest relic of Ethiopia, the Ark of the Covenant. The cross belongs to the Kernebege (Horns of Ram) group, where the tips of the cross are reminiscent of ram's horns or trefoils. Inscriptions are only very rarely found on wooden, manual crosses like this maskal. They usually give the name of the owner or donor.

    Lot Details

  • Amethyst Bead Necklace
    Amethyst Bead Necklace
    20th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £59

    A necklace composed of graduated amethyst beads of facetted type. 99 grams, 42 cm long



    Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list