Striking in scale and devotional presence, this rare 19th century French Colonial statue of Saint Teresa of Ávila stands 22 inches tall — a commanding example of sacred artistry. Hand-carved with glass eyes, and finished in the original time-softened polychrome, she is adorned with a garland of antique wax buds and flowers {a May tradition in cathedrals and churches} and delicately rendered with historic craftsmanship. Her gentle gesture conveys blessing and contemplation, evoking serene devotion and quiet reverence. The flowing garments, painted in layered cream, muted blue, and earth pigments, retain a luminous aged patina.
Subtle areas of wear attest to over a century of care, enhancing her historic authenticity rather than diminishing it. Mounted on the original base with early surface intact, this statue carries the quiet authority of devotional art once created for church or mission settings within the French Colonial world. Rare in both scale and condition, she is more than decorative — she is architectural in presence. There is all the age, wear and infinite beauty you want to see in a saint figure of this age, with chips to the painted finish. She is a lovely and gracefilled saint, who will bless your home with a light and presence.
This Saint Teresa of Ávila is an exceptional addition for collectors of French Colonial religious art. The intact polychrome and delicate antique wax floral garland make it an exceptional example of 19th century devotional sculpture, perfect for collectors and sacred interiors seeking historical resonance and visual impact. Theresa lived in the 16th century, the gift of God to Teresa is threefold: she was a woman; she was a contemplative; she was an active reformer. She was known to be a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer; a holy woman. In her self, in her prayers, in her life, in her efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she was a woman for others, a woman who inspired and gave life.
| Brand | frenchgardenhouse |
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