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Virgin of Marseille or santibelli* in polychrome and gilded terracotta, representing the Virgin Mary (normally with the Child Jesus), standing on a base framed by two cherubs, with its decorations and ornamentation (garlands of paper flowers, feathers, etc.), with its globe, from the late 19th-early 20th centuries.
This Virgin is in good overall condition and is of very good quality. It is very decorative.
Please note: the Child Jesus that the Virgin was holding on her left arm is missing, wear and tear of time, particularly on the decorations, the feet of the base were changed later, old wormholes in the wooden base, see photos.
The " Santibelli " are statuettes generally about forty centimeters high . Molded in terracotta , but also in plaster , coming from Italy , they are painted in very bright colors , sometimes sprinkled with glitter, or gilded with gold leaf . The origin of the name of these statuettes is difficult to determine: here we evoke a very Marseille nickname which describes as " Santibelli " the simpleton on duty , the friendly and not really bright fool . There, we imagine that " Santibelli " comes from the cry uttered by the Italian sellers who, according to tradition, peddled these objects: " Santi... Belli... "; like a cry from the street , which in a shortcut would have remained to designate these statuettes sold at auction .
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