20th Century Terracotta Sculpture of Madonna and Child by Francesco Prosperi, Assisi, Italy

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MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 30.5 cm; Width: 20.5 cm; Depth: 4.5 cm; Weight: 2.358 kg

Item :
A magnificent decorative high-relief wall … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 30.5 cm; Width: 20.5 cm; Depth: 4.5 cm; Weight: 2.358 kg

Item :
A magnificent decorative high-relief wall plaque in glazed terracotta, depicting the Madonna and Child, characterized by extraordinary expressive power and a striking material consistency. The work is distinguished by its generous proportions, measuring 30.5 cm high, 20.5 cm wide, and 4.5 cm deep, with a significant weight of 2.358 kg, attesting to the high thickness of the workmanship and the density of the traditionally hand-shaped clay used for each piece. The sculptural composition is distinguished by a skillful contrast of materials, with the complexions of the faces perfectly smooth, creating a realistic skin effect, while the draperies of the garments are entirely crafted with a crinkled, irregular finish, creating the effect of fabric. The final glaze features a rich array of shades ranging from brown to gray. On the front of the sculpture, on the lower right edge, stands out the artist's signature, "Prosperi," in capital letters, hand-engraved into the ceramic with a metal nib. The work is attributed to the renowned sculptor Francesco Prosperi (Assisi, 1906–1973), a celebrated exponent of 20th-century Franciscan-inspired sacred art. The piece, distinguished by its intense plastic sensibility and delicately expressive rendering of the faces, features a rich array of markings imprinted directly in the artist's workshop. In addition to the signature on the back, the work bears the characteristic fish-shaped factory stamp, an ancient Christian symbol of Icthys, alongside the engraved words "reproduction prohibited," which protected the exclusivity of the original master. Given its excellent state of preservation and the completeness of its hallmarks, the plaque represents an excellent acquisition opportunity for collectors of 20th-century sculpture and high-quality Umbrian devotional objects.

Useful information for appraising the object:
Further evidence of our attribution is provided by a similarly styled, hand-molded terracotta high-relief plaque, also on a religious theme, titled "Jesus Consecrates the Bread." Measurements: Height: 81 cm Width: 65.5 cm Depth: 7.5 cm, exhibited at the National Exhibition of Sacred Art held in Assisi in September-October 1951 as part of the 13th National Eucharistic Congress. On that occasion, it was purchased by the then Minister of Defense, Giulio Andreotti, and donated to the newly established Art Gallery of Pro Civitate Christiana. The artist also created many other terracotta works with religious themes, particularly Franciscan ones, from the relief "And They Saw a Chariot of Fire," created in 1943 for the oratory of the Cathedral of San Rufino, to the bas-reliefs with Franciscan stories in the Forum Franciscanum in Caslino d'Erba from 1948. It is in these religious subjects that the sculptor especially expressed his sensitivity, all aimed at a process of formal synthesis but at the same time oriented towards the search for a spirituality that the ancient working techniques, masterfully mastered, express. Another work worth mentioning, very similar in style, also made in terracotta, is entitled "The Beggar of Assisi. Seated Male Figure," depicting a certain Costantini, a well-known beggar of Assisi, purchased by the Ministry of Education in 1947 from the Exhibition of Assisi Artists, held in his hometown. The presence of these important monumental works within permanent collections and prominent institutional contexts attests and certifies the historical and artistic significance of Francesco Prosperi, whose cultural value is not limited to the dynamics of the private market alone. The placement of these masterpieces in prestigious venues such as the Prosperi Museum in Assisi (which, not coincidentally, was named after him) and the Galleria d'Arte Sacra della Cittadella demonstrates the artist's centrality in the panorama of twentieth-century sacred art, offering collectors a clear indication of the importance and historicization of his name in symbolic places of the Franciscan tradition. While his monumental olive wood sculptures and sacred art installations, including those mentioned above, are not available on the private market as they are held in important public collections and museums in Assisi, unique medium- and small-sized pieces like our plaque boast established sales at leading national auction houses and specialized galleries. In these contexts, full-relief sculptures in molded terracotta or wood typically fetch prices between €300-400 and €700-800, while refined bronze casts fetch prices between €400-500 and €900-1,000, depending on their size and the complexity of their artistic workmanship. Considering the size, the exceptional artistic quality, and the beauty of our plaque, we estimate its estimate at around €400-600.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
Francesco Prosperi (Assisi, 1906 – Assisi, 1973) was a refined and influential 20th-century Italian sculptor, as well as the custodian of a historic dynasty of artists active in the Umbrian city. Son of the sculptor Prospero and husband of the artist Laura Leucotei, Prosperi was trained in the art of metalwork and plastics from a young age, continuing the traditional ornamental techniques of the family workshop. His intense exhibition activity developed with great success from the 1930s onwards, leading him to exhibit at the most prestigious Italian art galleries, notably his participation in the Rome Quadrennials of 1931, 1935, and 1939, and the historic Venice Biennials of 1938 and 1940. Deeply rooted in the cultural and spiritual identity of Assisi, the sculptor focused much of his expressive research on Franciscan mysticism and a poetic portraiture of strong realistic and popular intensity, favoring the use of plastic and expressive materials such as terracotta, plaster, and bronze. Among his most important and nationally celebrated awards was winning first prize in 1957 at the Fifth National Nativity Scene Exhibition in Rome, an achievement that crowned his mastery of sacred-inspired sculpture. Today, Francesco Prosperi's artistic legacy, workshop tools, and masterpieces are preserved and displayed in Assisi at the Prosperi Museum, located in the historic workshop on Via San Francesco, where the family tradition continues thanks to the dedication of his son Franco. This piece has an attribution mark,
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