Rose marble sculpture with a medallion in the back. Does anyone who / when this was made and what’s the significance?

[liliopera]

 

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[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

That’s very nice. The scene has no particular significance and was the work of the English sculptor Edward William Wyon (1811-1885). He produced a number of bas-relief depictions of neo-classical scenes, often including cherubs, specifically for reproduction as wall plaques and framed wall-hangings. Mostly they were sold by Wedgwood. The medallion inset into the reverse depicts Cupid, and was used as a kind of trademark for authenticity. Like this one:

Although they have the look and feel of stone, they’re actually ‘stonecast’, whereby powdered stones such as marble and alabaster were mixed with colourants and resins to produce a cast of the original work.

Your particular scene was widely produced and later copied in inferior works which don’t have the medallion in the back. Your original Victorian piece is mid to late 1800s and would probably sell for somewhere between $150-200.

 

[liliopera]

Thank you!! It’s 100% marble according to a friend who works at marble factory. Someone else responded that the scene is inspired by “the virgin and child with saint anne and saint john the baptist” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_and_Child_with_Saint_Anne_and_Saint_John_the_Baptist

 

[Red-Coat]

Thank you!! It’s 100% marble according to a friend who works at marble factory.

You're welcome. I sincerely doubt it to be carved marble. The primary constituent will be crushed marble but reconstituted with resin. I don't believe any of these pieces with the cupid medallion in the back were 100% stone, or carved.

 

[Digger RJ]

View attachment 2182448

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!