Pair Tuscan Polychrome Wooden Altar Candlesticks, Worn Patina, 18th / 19th C.

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Pair Tuscan Polychrome Wooden Altar Candlesticks, Worn Patina, 18th / 19th C.

This striking pair of Italian polychrome wooden candlesticks … Read more Pair Tuscan Polychrome Wooden Altar Candlesticks, Worn Patina, 18th / 19th C.

This striking pair of Italian polychrome wooden candlesticks exemplifies the refined vernacular craftsmanship of central Italy, most convincingly Tuscany, in the late 18th to early 19th century. Executed in hand-turned wood and retaining their original layered polychrome decoration, the candlesticks display the characteristic balance of architectural form, symbolic color, and functional design associated with provincial ecclesiastical furnishings.

Each candlestick stands 17 inches high and is constructed with a tall balustered shaft composed of stacked spherical and vase-shaped turnings, rising from a broad, stepped circular base measuring 8 inches in diameter. The proportions—wide at the base with a compressed vertical profile—are derived from Baroque altar candlesticks, here interpreted through a simplified, rural lens. The surfaces retain a richly worn palette of deep green, iron red, and cream, applied over gesso and softened by centuries of handling and devotional use.

The color scheme is emblematic of Tuscan religious polychromy: green symbolizing renewal and eternity, red evoking sacrifice and the Passion, and cream articulating moldings while referencing sacred light. The matte, earth-toned finish and absence of gilding distinguish these works from Venetian production, aligning them instead with central Italian folk Baroque traditions.

Notably, the candlesticks are constructed in a modular, collapsible manner—the turned columns separating from their bases—an intentional feature typical of altar furnishings designed for transport, storage, and repeated liturgical use. Each is fitted with a forged iron candle socket and bobeche, bearing traces of historic wax accumulation consistent with long ecclesiastical service.

Offered with an original Christie’s tag (New York), this pair represents a rare survival of authentic Italian altar objects, valued today not only for their devotional history but also for their sculptural presence and time-worn patina. Equally compelling as architectural accents or standalone sculptures, they embody the quiet authority of centuries-old sacred craft. See less