Description:

South America, Peru, Spanish Colonial period, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A beautiful relief panel depicting the flight into Egypt - a scene from the New Testament when Joseph, Mary, and infant Jesus take refuge in Egypt to escape persecution by King Herod - all hand-carved from Huamanga alabaster and fit with an ornate, gilt wood frame. Displaying traditional iconography, the panel depicts Mary seated atop a donkey led by Joseph as she nurses the Christ Child. The palm tree that towers above them suggests this may be the moment when the Holy Family pauses during their journey to eat dates and rest. Though painted, the alabaster has still retained its translucent quality; place a light behind the relief and see the Holy Family emit an ethereal glow. Just imagine the astonishment this piece would have inspired in devotees when it served as an altarpiece! Size without frame: 9.5" W x 11.75" H (24.1 cm x 29.8 cm); with frame: 17.75" W x 20" H (45.1 cm x 50.8 cm)

Huamanga stone is a type of white alabaster with delicate transparencies which takes its name from its place of origin, Huamanga, currently in the Ayacucho region, where an interesting production of sculptures and reliefs flourished, usually dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Christ, and saints. Similar examples can be found in the Pedro de Osma Museum in Lima.

Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico collection

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#149260

  • Condition: Professionally repaired with some minor chipping along visible break line and chips to periphery of frame. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good preservation of imagery, pigments, and gilding. Suspension wire on verso.

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July 28, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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