Unknown, Cedar Holy Statue Depicting Our Lady of the Conception ± 1750, 1785., 1800s, Cedar

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Description

An historical wooden Statue

Art-Historical Analysis: 18th-Century Brazilian 'Paulistinha' (Nossa Senhora da Conceição)

Object & Stylistic Analysis

This exceptional 46-centimeter-high … Read more An historical wooden Statue

Art-Historical Analysis: 18th-Century Brazilian 'Paulistinha' (Nossa Senhora da Conceição)

Object & Stylistic Analysis

This exceptional 46-centimeter-high religious sculpture is a rare and museum-quality example of 18th-century Brazilian colonial Baroque art. Carved from a single block of native cedarwood (cedro), the statue depicts Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception). The object remains in an entirely untouched, original condition, retaining its authentic polychromy.

Stylistically, this sculpture belongs to the highly sought-after Paulistinha school. The definitive blueprint of this specific movement is visible on the underside: the stepped, octagon

Region of Origin & Historical Context

The sculpture can be accurately traced to the state of São Paulo, specifically the Vale do Paraíba region (including historical centers such as Taubaté and Santana de Parnaíba), dating to the second half of the 18th century (c. 1750-1800). This school operated in the artistic lineage of the iconic 17th-century sculptor Friar Agostinho de Jesus.

Because the reverse side is executed completely flat, the image was specifically designed to stand within a niche or a richly decorated wooden domestic altar (oratório doméstico). The heavy, embedded soot and smoke damage on the clasped hands and face serve as silent witnesses to this context: they are the direct result of centuries of devotion, caused by the smoke of candles and oil lamps that burned directly in front of the statue for generations.

The Transatlantic Link: Brazil The Netherlands

The appearance of this authentic piece of Brazilian heritage in the Netherlands has a compelling cultural-historical explanation. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, hundreds of Dutch missionaries (such as the Franciscan and Redemptorist Fathers) were active in the interior of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. They established parishes there and were frequently gifted these 18th-century devotionals by the local population, or salvaged them from decaying, historic chapels.

Upon repatriating to Dutch monasteries, the missionaries brought these statues back with them as religious keepsakes. Following the secularization and closure of many Dutch monasteries in the late 20th century, these unique objects often quietly entered the anonymity of church auctions and local thrift stores unnoticed.

Condition and Curatorial Value

The object is in an extraordinarily honest and original state of preservation. The shrinkage crack in the solid hardwood (which runs from the base up through the blue globe) is a natural and inherent hallmark of its age. The minor paint flakes (such as above the left eye, where the raw cedarwood is exposed) and the heavy soot patina are invaluable to its authenticity; they prove that the statue was never subjected to destructive restorations or modern over painting. This renders the object an exceedingly rare collector's and museum piece for connoisseurs of Sacred colonial art.

of the Virgin Mary Santos Statue.

This authentic 18th-century Brazilian colonial Santos statue, measuring 46 cm, is hand-carved from single-block cedar wood (cedro). It depicts Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) standing atop a blue globe. Under her right foot, she crushes a serpent, symbolizing the victory over original sin and evil. Her hands are joined in a serene prayer gesture, showing historical soot accumulation from devotional candles.The craftsmanship features a flat back for niche placement and a beautifully draped gown flowing naturally around her body. She wears an intricately carved necklace and a detailed hairdo tapering to a point at the back. The statue retains its original un-restored polychrome paint: a green exterior mantel representing life and hope, and a pink interior lining symbolizing divine love and youth.The figure stands on an octagonal baroque base, which shows a missing piece on the left due to historic wood rot or moisture. This exceptional piece remains entirely in its original, untouched state, preserving its profound religious symbolism and rich, natural patina.

In short:

A museum piece of great importance. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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