Antique Italian Polychrome Carved Alabaster Portrait Bust of a Lady

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An exceptional late 19th-century Italian Art Nouveau portrait bust of a young woman, showcasing a masterful use of classical polychrome … Read more An exceptional late 19th-century Italian Art Nouveau portrait bust of a young woman, showcasing a masterful use of classical polychrome stone carving.

Rather than using a single uniform block, the sculptor expertly selected and joined three distinct varieties of stone to create a lifelike, layered composition:

The face and décolletage are rendered in a pristine, translucent stark white statuary alabaster.

Her hair is accented with a delicate, integrated wrap carved from a warm pink Italian alabaster.

Her draped shawl is fashioned from a distinctly veined, high-contrast grey and white matrix stone that beautifully mimics the texture of fine textile.

The entire sculpture is securely mounted to its original white marble display slab. This cabinet-sized bust represents the height of turn-of-the-century European decorative arts, making it a sophisticated addition to a mantel, console, or curated bookshelf vignette.
A timeless accent piece, this sculpture perfectly captures the transition between classical Neoclassical forms and the organic elegance of the Art Nouveau period. Perfect for styling on a mantle, console, or within a curated bookcase. See less