Baroque Devotional Figure of St. Joseph with the Christ Child, Southern Germany, 1750-1800

Details

Description

Baroque devotional figure "St. Joseph with the Christ Child"
Southern Germany (Bavaria), ca. 1750–1800
Linden wood, carved in the round
… Read more Baroque devotional figure "St. Joseph with the Christ Child"
Southern Germany (Bavaria), ca. 1750–1800
Linden wood, carved in the round
Original polychromy on a chalk ground
Height: approx. 91 cm
Weight: approx. 12 kg

A high-quality, fully sculpted chapel figure from southern Germany, created in the second half of the 18th century. It depicts St. Joseph with the Christ Child – an iconographic motif that gained particular significance in the Alpine region during the late Baroque and Rococo periods. The figure is carved from linden wood, the preferred material of the southern German and Austrian woodcarving tradition.

The original polychromy is fully preserved and displays the typical Baroque colors of reds, ochres, yellows, and blues. The polychromy was applied on a traditional chalk ground and exhibits authentic signs of age, such as craquelure, abrasion, and age-related flaking. No overpainting, retouching, or later alterations are apparent.

The figure is carved in the round and painted all around, suggesting a freestanding display in a chapel or at a side altar. The back is also carefully painted—a quality not always present in folk art of this period.

The accompanying base, also original, is made of solid wood and decorated with Baroque stonework and ornamental painting. The base and figure form a stylistically and technically unified whole; no later additions or modifications are evident. The construction is entirely without metal joints and reflects traditional 18th-century woodworking techniques.

The condition is exceptionally good for its age:

No wormholes, no insect damage, no restorations, no overpainting. The lateral drying crack is typical of old linden wood and does not affect its stability.

Special Features:

• Fully carved chapel figure
• Original Baroque polychromy (not overpainted)
• Solid linden wood
• Original Baroque base
• No restorations, no woodworm damage
• Authentic aging, museum quality
• Impressive height of 95 cm
• Rare depiction of St. Joseph with the Christ Child

Provenance:
The figure comes from an old private collection in Bavaria and remained unmoved in an outbuilding for many decades, thus preserving it in completely untouched original condition.

Condition:

Very good, authentic original condition with age-related drying cracks and some loss of paint. No alterations or additions. See less