Holy Water Holder Appraisal

Italian Renaissance Style Holy Water Font with Madonna and Child

This wall-mounted devotional object consists of a wooden holy water font (stoup) featuring a central arched tabernacle-style frame. The central panel displays a printed or painted depiction of the Madonna and Child, rendered in an Italian Renaissance style inspired by masters like Raphael. The Virgin Mary is draped in a blue mantle holding a nude Christ Child against a dark background. The Frame is constructed from gilt-finished wood or composite material, featuring an arched pediment at the top decorated with gold-toned scrolled filigree against a dark ground. Below the rectangular image is a protruding, fluted basin designed to hold holy water, tapering to a decorative finial. The overall finish shows a gold-leaf or metallic gilt patina with intentional distressing or age-related wear, including visible darkening in the recessed areas and minor abrasions to the gilded edges. The piece appears to be a 20th-century souvenir or devotional item produced in Italy (likely Florence), characterized by its 'Fratelli Alinari' or similar traditional Florentine aesthetic. It reflects Catholic liturgical craftsmanship with a focus on classical religious iconography and Baroque-inspired decorative molding.