A lovely old devotional angel, hand-carved from wood and painted in vivid polychrome.The missing wing and arm give it the feeling of a devotional fragment rescued from somewhere else
There's a wire on the back for suspension and the surviving wing is separately carved and attached to the body. There is something compelling about an old religious figure that has survived imperfectly. Historic polychrome saints and devotional sculptures frequently reach museums and collections missing hands, fingers, halos and other elements.
Mexican polychrome wood sculptures have a history stretching back to the colonial period, when European carving and painting traditions were adapted in New Spain using locally available woods and materials.
DETAILS
Origin: Mexico
Date: C. 1920s–40s
Material: Hand-carved wood with polychrome painted decoration
Dimensions: Apx 10 in. H x 7.5 in. W at widest point with wing
Condition: Worn antique condition. One wing and one arm missing. Old wire suspension remains at the back. Please review photographs carefully.
