Gesso Decorative Objects

Wonderful faux burr walnut picture frame Painted and gilt on gesso Original patina. A delightful colour The measurement given below is the outside of the frame Internally it meas...

Masterfully hand-carved in Southern Italy (Naples region) circa 1750–1780, this freestanding wooden sculpture represents a highly expressive and rare bust of Christ. Crafted during t...

Beautiful and impressive gold frame, entirely in classic Baroque style, elaborately decorated with acanthus leaves, flowers, and a ribbon pattern all around; a very high-quality fram...

A finely detailed devotional figure of the infant Christ (Niño Dios), typical of 19th-century Guatemalan religious art. Carved in wood with polychrome decoration and inset glass eyes...

Large, dark, gold-toned pine frame featuring a beautiful aged patina; designed in a classic Baroque style and adorned with acanthus leaves and a surrounding ribbon pattern. Dates to ...

Antique American gilt picture frame. Rabbet measures 12.5" x 10.5" Perfect for a 12" x 10" painting. '

Italian set of Five death mask Italian death mask cast, circa 1930s. Showing in the 19th century glass country cabinet.The price is only for the mask t...

This hand-carved wooden figure represents the Virgin Mary as a child, known as Niña María, a revered devotional subject in Spanish Colonial art. Crafted in 19th-century Guatemala, th...

From the 1700s through the early 1800s, European aristocrats developed a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture and design that culminated in a full Egyptian Revival. Prominent figures such as Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned rooms decorated with Egyptian motifs. This cultural moment reflects a fascination with a sophisticated civilization of great artists and pharaohs. The Regency era possessed very little knowledge of the Great Pyramids or hieroglyphics, a quality that lent Egyptian art interpretation a compelling air of mystique. This English Regency period gilt carving depicts a popular figure of borrowed Egyptian motif: the Sphinx. Recognized among educated circles as a symbol of brilliance in the ancient past, the Sphinx was well-known as a mythological creature who destroys those who failed to answer her riddle. Such a piece as this, excellent in detail and craftsmanship, may have once graced the mantle of a gentleman’s study or been exchanged as a gift between British scholars. The beautiful gold surface has been achieved by an artful combination of gilt and gesso; the art enthusiast will appreciate the intricate texture realized in the carving’s hair and tail as well as the delicate detailing of the saddle. Borrowing from the Egyptians, the Greeks had their own interpretation of the Sphinx. Greek mythology chronicled the Sphinx as being the daughter of Orthous and Chimera or Laius and attributed the riddles, which she proposed, as having been taught to her by the Muses. Crowned with a Grecian diadem and having a refined expression, she evokes an ancient yet reserved intellect. For the modern-day enthusiast of classical Greek art...

Large gold-colored vintage pine frame with a very beautiful aged patina, entirely in classic Baroque style, decorated with acanthus leaves and a ribbon pattern all around, circa seco...

Antique Italian frame from the second half of the 19th century. Finely carved and gilded wood and plaster furniture of beautiful design and quality. The frame can hold a mirror or pa...

Large gold-colored vintage pine frame with a very beautiful aged patina, entirely in classic Baroque style, decorated with acanthus leaves and a ribbon pattern all around, circa seco...

Completely hand-crafted in 18th century Spain, this sculpture of the Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception stands 1.5 meters / 5 feet tall, is topped by a silver halo / crown, and was most certainly created for devotional purposes, to be displayed in a church or chapel. Besides its impressive size, this sculpture is an excellent, truly museum-quality example of the Spanish “Estofado” polychrome technique, developed during the Gothic period to imitate rich brocade fabrics. The finely carved “fabric” areas of the sculpture would be first covered in gesso, and then a layer of gold leaf would be applied. The gold leaf would then be painted over with various colors of tempera paints. Once dry, the painted surface would be incised or scratched away in patterns, revealing the gold beneath. The sculpture was professionally restored in 2022 by a firm that is often contracted by the Spanish government to work on historic building interiors and museum pieces. The virgin was carefully cleaned, repaired and its condition stabilized. A complete and fully-illustrated restoration report will be included with purchase. Often confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary herself was conceived “immaculately” without original sin has been variously defended and debated within the Catholic Church since the pre-Middle Ages. For centuries, artists struggled to create an acceptable visual representation of this highly abstract concept, in part taking inspiration from the Book of Revelation and other scriptural sources. In this case, we see the Virgin standing on a half moon (biblically inspired, though also an ancient symbol of chastity) with her long natural hair loose down her back, another indication of purity. Both her white tunic and flowing blue mantle...

A classic vintage gold-tone frame featuring floral motifs and acanthus ornamentation—fully in the Rococo style—dating from around the mid-20th century. This beautiful frame boasts a...

This beautiful life-size plaster cast of the singing angels by Luca della Robbia and part of a collection of plaster casts from a Florentine collector, faithfully represents the orig...

Large gilded vintage pine frame with a beautiful patina of age, entirely in the Baroque style, decorated with acanthus leaves and tendrils, circa mid-20th century. A nice frame size...

Chinoiserie pagoda. Very decorative Italian painted plaster and wood three-tiered pagoda alla Mongiardino emanating from marine inspired grotto base with four masks issuing water in...

On offer here is a stunning pair of 100% original gold leaf gilt and polished corner consoles, meticulously hand-carved from solid linden wood. Made in southern France around 1710, t...

Large gold-colored pine wood frame featuring a beautiful aged patina; executed in a classic Baroque style and adorned with acanthus leaves and a ribbon motif along the border. Dates ...

POLYCHROME CARVED HEAD OF CHRIST FROM A PASSION FIGURE Probably Spain, circa late 17th to early 18th century 13 1/8" H x 6 1/2" D x 6 1/2" W Polychromy, carved wood, gesso, glass e...

Beautiful and impressive gold frame, entirely in classic Baroque style, elaborately decorated with acanthus leaves, flowers, and a ribbon pattern all around; a very high-quality fram...

American portrait oil on canvas of a young ship captain holding a spyglass with a sailing ship, crew in rowboat, and gulls in lower background mounted in the original decorative gilt...

Italian winged putto hand carved and painted solid wood Can rest on shelf or hanged by hook on back

Renaissance period painted and giltwood candle holder or pricket - featuring four elaborately hand carved winged cherubs beneath an octogonal platform with the original hand forged i...

A highly decorative 18th-century Italian Baroque ecclesiastical candle stand, finely carved in limewood and finished with gesso and rich gold gilding. The stand is raised on three d...

Early 20th Century French Clock Tower Automaton Figures A rare matched pair of French (Paris) clock tower automaton figures, in the form of oriental male dressed dancing figures. Dat...

18th century Italian holy water font with two angels framed with polished agate coral wings on fossil coral.  The Italian holy water front is from a historical Italian church and is...

pre 1825, Spanish Colonial, wooden polychrome column base depicting a putti holding up a corbel where a pillar would have been sat. The pillar is long gone but the intricate carvings...

An exceptionally rare antique German Renaissance carving by Stephan Rottaler (1581-1533), Bavaria circa 1500. The carving is by Stephan Rottaler, Landshut, Germany, an architect who ...

An attractive carved wood figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, known as Guanyin in China, late Ming Dynasty, early 17th century, China. Guanyi...

Mid-20th-century Italian frame. Carved, chiseled, and gilded (bronze-colored) wood and plaster furniture, featuring beautiful lines and high quality. The frame can hold a mirror or p...

CARVED WOOD HORSE FORM, POSSIBLY USED AS A MOLD MASTER FOR PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PRODUCTION Probably French, mid-to-late 19th century 22 3/4" H x 6 7/8" D x 20 7/8" W A carved hardwood mode...

Italian frame from the late 19th century. Richly carved and chiseled wood and plaster furniture with high-quality floral and fruit decorations. A beautifully sized and striking frame...

A late 20th-century Georgian Revival decorative pineapple. A large decorative pineapple finial with gilt surface, raised on a square plinth base. Long associated with hospitality an...

The object shown in the image is a stand or column clock. This type of clock is designed to be placed on the floor, serving as a piece of furniture. The model shown has a metal frame...

BEAUTIFUL HANDBAG, Year 1950. Fantastic paper-covered plaster mannequin, all original. Complete with wooden arms without hands and fixed on an iron base. The price of shipping is ...

Pair of 18th century Italian silver gilt two handle urns. These lovely urns are evocative of an earlier era with the worn rich patina that only comes from age and use. These likely h...

18th century English wood carved standing Chinese attendant with lotus bowl, The well carved and decorated figure with glass eyes, holding a 10 inch...

This beautiful 19th century Florentine rectangular lidded box is entirely decorated in the round with all typical Renaissance Italian patterns. The whi...

Title: Pygmy rabbit. A cast black gesso and raw graphite resin sculpture by Darla Jackson. Date: 2016. Length: ca. 4 3/4 in. Also available in bronze on commission basis ...

Large pair of beautiful 20th Century Italian hand carved lime wood swan planters. With a worn painted gesso finish. Traditionally used for weddings, ...

Crafted in Spain, circa 1680, this antique carved wooden bust depicts the head of Christ with a strikingly expressive, devotional presence typical of the Haute Époque period. The scu...

Golden wooden sphere sculpture formed with a bright golden sphere at the top supported with a gray wooden base. Baroque style from late 20th century. *The item is sold as a unique...

Large substantial Spanish torchère dating to the late 18th century. Gently scraped back to original paint and gesso finish. Decorative gilded adornment restored. Large enough to anch...

An Italian pair of hand-painted paper mâché male busts. These vintage art decorations from Italy have been artfully composed of paper mâché and hand-painted in the depiction of two b...

Antique 18th century Italian painted and carved wood candlestick, with a few hints of gilding still remaining. There are small patches of the ...

A pair of hand crafted wood and gilt gesso overlay baroque display stands (ideal for clocks or small statues and busts), each with applied harleq...

This impressive 19th-century plaster sculpture depicts a classical Greek figure and was crafted in a French atelier. Standing at 180 cm tall, the sculpture is in very good condition,...

Mid-20th-century Italian frame. Crafted from wood and gesso, this piece features intricate carving and chasing with a bronze-toned gilded finish; it is of high quality and makes for ...

19th Century carved and painted wood figure of a troubadour or minstrel wearing a hat and long coat with his trousers tucked into knee-high boots and having a violin under one arm wi...

This superb work of art combines the beauty of a painting with the mechanical complicities of an automaton and clock. Depicting a rural scene, the clock is integrated into the church, sitting within the giltwood and gesso frame. Also within the painting is automaton windmill, again integrated into the picture atop the windmill. The automaton runs off the clock, so requires no separate winding, The clock is a fine 8 day, fusee movement with gut string, with verge escapement...

Antique pine frame gilded with gold leaf, featuring acanthus decoration on the corners, floral decoration, and a pattern all around, entirely in classic Baroque style, circa early 20...

A cast gesso bust of Napolean from an Italian foundry

This striking vintage artisan sculpture is a masterwork of architectural caprice, blending classical motifs with Postmodern flair. The piece is constructed as a three-tiered totem, f...

A unique and highly decorative pair of late 19th-century ceremonial urns from Thailand, circa 1900. These tall, hexagonal forms feature exquisite gilded surfaces richly adorned with ...

Vintage Greater Kudu Horns on Sculptural Taxidermy Form. A striking vintage greater kudu shoulder mount, featuring a magnificent set of deeply spiraled horns with multiple twists - ...

18th century exceptional Italian carved wood and polychromed figure depicting baby Jesus holding the world in his hand, he has halo made from sterling silver and the globe is also sterling silver.This piece would have originally been dressed in an elaborate gown and would have been changed into different attire depending on the holy season. Extremely detailed and the carving is exceptional. this piece came from a very reputable merchant in Verona, I did inherit it from my mother in Law...

Elegant pair of carved wood and gilded plaster frames featuring rich floral and leaf motif decoration in relief. The solid wooden structure is enhanced by molded plaster appliqués an...

Vintage gold-colored pine frame featuring acanthus and floral ornamentation in a classic Baroque style; the piece boasts a beautiful aged patina (20th century). A frame of a great s...

St. Florian (250 A.D. – 304 A.D.), was a the patron saint of firefighters, brewers, chimney sweeps, and the town of Linz, Austria. He served in the Roman army and part of his duties included organizing fire fighting brigades. He was secretly a Christian and became famous for miraculously saving a town from being destroyed by fire; after he prayed and threw a single bucket of water on the blaze, it was extinguished. This beautifully carved and painted statue dates to approximately the end of the 1600s or early 1700s. It clearly depicts St. Florian with a bucket in hand and a flag in the other. At his feet, is a miniature building...