Early 18th Century Austrian Provincial Polychrome Wood Praying Female Saint – Carved Sculpture.

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**Early 18th Century Austrian Provincial Polychrome Wood Praying Female Saint – Carved Sculpture**

A captivating late Baroque to Rococo provincial … Read more **Early 18th Century Austrian Provincial Polychrome Wood Praying Female Saint – Carved Sculpture**

A captivating late Baroque to Rococo provincial folk religious sculpture depicting a standing female figure in prayer (likely the Virgin Mary in supplication, or a female saint such as Mary Magdalene or St. Anne), carved in wood with original surviving polychromy.

The figure is shown standing in a serene, frontal pose with hands clasped in devotion at chest level, head gently bowed, and a calm, expressive face conveying quiet piety. She wears a long flowing robe with a hooded mantle, rendered in soft, stylized folds typical of rural Alpine craftsmanship. The original paint layers feature a rich green-blue tone for the robe and mantle (symbolizing heaven and earth in Marian iconography), warm gold-brown flesh tones on the face and hands, and subtle highlights. The piece stands on a simple rectangular wooden plinth with molded edges.

Carved from a single block of limewood (Tilia sp.), a preferred material in Central European religious carving for its fine grain and ease of detail work. The back is hollowed out to prevent cracking, a common technique for figures of this era.

**Attribution**
Austrian provincial folk art, originating from the Alpine region (likely Styria, Carinthia, Upper Austria, or southern Tyrolean/Bavarian border areas)
Provincial workshop or rural carver in the Habsburg lands, influenced by Counter-Reformation devotional traditions. These simplified, expressive figures were produced for village churches, house altars, chapels, or personal piety, often retaining archaic elements while adapting to local folk tastes. Comparable to smaller devotional pieces from Mariazell pilgrimage traditions or broader Austro-Bavarian folk Baroque.


This evocative and soulful example of Central European folk Baroque art carries strong spiritual and decorative presence. Ideal for collectors of Alpine religious folk sculpture, historic interiors, or as a poignant standalone devotional object with excellent patina and surviving original colors. See less