Statue carrying a scroll with Abdias etched on it. Statue has many characteristics of sculptor Aleijadinho including almond eyes, flat pupils, long wavy hair, folds in the garment, disproportionate thumb, full lips and carrying a scroll
11 inches tall, 4 wide and 3 deep
Hello, this item is a sandstone statue, measuring approximately 11 inches in height, depicting a robed figure holding a scroll. The carving shows stylized almond-shaped eyes, flat pupils, wavy hair, and folded drapery, features that in the description are compared to the style of the Brazilian sculptor Aleijadinho (1730–1814). However, the size, material, and workmanship here suggest a later, small-scale devotional or decorative piece rather than an original colonial-period work by Aleijadinho, whose documented statues are monumental, carved in soapstone or wood, and tied to church commissions in Brazil.
As an inherited piece, its precise origin remains uncertain. Based on visible weathering, it could be a 19th–20th century provincial or workshop copy inspired by Christian iconography, particularly representations of prophets or apostles holding scrolls, rather than an Aleijadinho original. Comparable small-scale sandstone devotional statues of this type circulate on the market with modest values, typically in the range of 200 to 600 USD depending on provenance, age verification, and condition.
Thank you. Interesting analysis. When you hold the statue there is something about it, mysterious, but probably just me. I will continue to find solace in Abdias, and thank you