Italian silver sculpture depicting the Immaculate Virgin, Naples, first half of the 19th century
Height x width x depth: 35.5 x 13.5 x 11.5 cm. Weight 730 g.
The figure of the crowned Madonna, in embossed and chiseled silver, is set on a crescent moon and depicted with her hands joined on her breast. Hallmarked with the mark of the guild of goldsmiths of Naples for a silver fineness of 833/1000 in use for sacred objects only from 1839 to 1872 and with the mark of a silversmith probably identified as Gennaro Russo. Among his most significant works are the bust of St. Francesco Caracciolo made in 1834 for the chapel of the treasure of San Gennaro, and the bust of St. Alfonso dei Liguori made for the same chapel in 1848. Resting on a square-shaped base embossed, chiseled, and pierced with floral motifs.
Item condition grading: **** good.
Literature: Elio e Corrado Catello. Argenti Napoletani dal XVI al XIX secolo. Ediz. Il Banco di Napoli 1972, p. 85 and 119