A Stunning Hand Painted Heraldic and Madonna with Child Desktop Folder

There is the most beautiful hand painted work on show with this superb and rare item. It is a Florentine desktop folder dating from the 19th century. The front, as it would be on placed upon a desk, has a hand painted image of the Madonna with the Christ child, with two angels playing instruments at the rear. The words “Ave Maria” are painted beneath, whilst the complete image has a gilt painted background. There are raised gesso borders, infiled with hand painted golden filigree work motifs. There are brass fluted rosette fittings toward each corner. The rear of the piece has a central gesso bordered raised quatrefoil, containing three shields, also raised, each with a different design. There are two demi-quatrefoils to complete the central design. The rear has an identical border design to that described as being on the front, except that one of the brass rosette fittings has been lost. The interior has no fittings but another strip of leather, forming the spine, has been added at some point, not very recently. It is clear that, with the addition to the inside of two short metal nails, that someone had the idea of hanging this piece, opened out, as a wall display. It says a lot that this person rated the quality of painting highly enough for this to be desirable. It would make a wonderful addition to any desk, or could, once again, be hung as a work of art. The (closed) folder measures about 15.2 inches (39 cm), by about 10.25 (26 cm) in width.