144 - Probably a 18th-century Neapolitan work depicting Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori in episcopal vestments; terracotta, wood, fabric, metal; 46 cm

Probably a 18th-century Neapolitan work depicting Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori in episcopal vestments; terracotta, wood, fabric, metal; 46 cm A remarkable example of Neapolitan sacred sculpture from the late 18th century. The saint is depicted in his later years, dressed in pontifical vestments. His face, marked by the wrinkles of time, conveys an intense, dramatic, and realistic expressiveness; his gaze is cast humbly downward in an attitude of profound meditation and prayer. The characteristic tilt of his head follows the traditional iconography of the saint as a Doctor of the Church. The figure is attired in rich liturgical vestments: a purple cassock, an alb trimmed with lace, and a stole and maniple, all lavishly decorated with gold-threaded braids. In his left hand, the saint holds a pastoral staff with an openwork crook, while his right hand—with finely modeled fingers—rests against his chest. The figure rests on an elegant, period-appropriate base of carved and gilded wood, designed with a complex, curvilinear (mistilinear) pattern. Provenance: Santangelo Family Collection, Naples SANTANGELO FAMILY COLLECTION