Ecuadorian Hand-Carved Wood Winged Cherub Head Wall Plaque, San Antonio de Ibarra Style

Description

Overview

A hand-carved winged cherub head (querubín), the Latin American folk-religious form of the Baroque winged putto head, made as a wall plaque. It is likely from the woodcarving center of San Antonio de Ibarra, Ecuador, and likely dates to about the 1980s–2000s. From the Craft World Tours Collection; consistent with the 2001 Ecuador & Bolivia tour, which visited San Antonio de Ibarra.

Design & Craftsmanship

• Function & Form: 14.5" wide, 8" high and 2.5" deep. A round, full-cheeked child's face with closed, crescent-lidded eyes and tufts of hair, set into a curved, scalloped collar that sweeps out into two upswept wings.
• Artistry & Ornamentation: Three tiers of feathers: a row of small scale-like coverts, long chisel-cut primaries with incised center veins, and a lower fringe that fans out beneath the face. Crisp knife and gouge work, left unsanded in places, in a reddish-brown wood consistent with cedro (Spanish cedar), with a natural oil finish.
• Structural Base: Flat, rough-planed back with a single drilled hanging hole behind the head. A small knot and a minor surface check; unsigned.

Condition Report

• Surface Condition: A small pale nick on the feather fringe near the right side of the collar, minor fiber lifting at a few feather tips and the left wing edge, and light dust in the recesses.
• Structural Integrity: Structurally sound and ready to hang. This item is sold “as-is” with all associated patina and wear inherent to its age and history as part of the Craft World Tours Collection.