Large wooden figure of St. Barbara (attribution uncertain) – Silesia, 19th century

We present to you an exceptionally impressive sculpture, reaching 88 cm in height, probably originating from the Silesia region from the mid or second half of the 19th century. Due to the attributes and iconography, this figuration is most likely identified with St. Barbara – martyr and intercessor for a good death, patron saint of miners, architects, and bell founders, especially venerated in Silesia (among others in mining and metallurgy).

Condition: very good for its age and natural use. The wood is healthy, without visible signs of woodworm or deep structural cracks. The surface bears authentic signs of aging – minor scratches, edge losses, secondary cracking of the polychrome – which further confirms its age and noble patina.

Polychrome: original, colorful paint layer from the turn of the 19th/20th century. Preserved fragments of applied silver or gilding (halo, elements of garments) and delicate, hand-painted floral ornament on the dress. Color palette: white, red, blue, and green with distinct glazing.

Expression and artistic character: the figure is in the style of Silesian folk woodcarving with influences of late Baroque and Romanticism. The sculpture is characterized by an expressive yet dignified facial expression, dynamic arrangement of drapery, and a proportional, slender body. It was probably originally placed in a side chapel, a niche of a roadside shrine, or in the decoration of a classicist altar.

Dimensions: height 88 cm, width approx. 28 cm (at the widest point – at shoulder height), depth approx. 24 cm.

Use: ideal as a standalone element of interior decor in stylized settings (residences, palaces, townhouses, restored interiors), as an exhibit in a collection of sacred art, and as an object for research on 19th-century Silesian artistic craftsmanship.