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$1,800
An extraordinarily evocative and rare antique French architectural fragment featuring a winged cherub, or putto, in high relief - a soulful relic salvaged from a grand 19th-century façade. This deeply romantic sculpture depicts a cherubic angel seated upon a scrolling acanthus volute, his delicate wings outstretched, clutching a laurel branch or palm frond with berries - a symbol of peace and victory. The carving is full of movement and tenderness, with beautifully modeled anatomy and soft, contemplative expression. What makes this piece exceptionally desirable is its magnificent, untouched time-worn patina, as documented in the detailed close-ups. Composed of original cast stone / plaster composition, the surface exhibits over a century of weathering: layers of old ochre and stone-colored paint are heavily distressed, flaking, and crazed to reveal the raw plaster and concrete core beneath. Dark lichen, soot, and mineral deposits cling to the crevices, attesting to its long life on an exterior wall. This is a true fragment - with intentionally irregular, broken edges - mounted for interior display with two large rustic iron washers, ready to hang as a powerful work of wabi-sabi wall art. Perfect for a French country interior, a Tuscan villa, a library, over a fireplace, or as a garden wall feature.
