Cultures across the globe have used wood carving as an art form for thousands of years, dating all the way back to the Stone Age. As a readily available material with varied qualities and textures, wood has been used by artists and sculptors to metamorphose natural elements into abstract structures. In contrast to this, the natural forms of wood itself are also the basis of many pieces and designs that we come to call antiques today.

Back in the 15th century, carvings of the figure of Madonna reached their peak, with the enthroned Madonna becoming typical of the middle ages and iconography known as the throne of wisdom, translated to Latin as sedes sapieniae. Carvings of this kind were often carried in processions during the Middles Ages, as the Madonna was seen as as a symbol of survival and jurisdiction amongst periods of conflict, hunger and disease.

Centuries later across the pond in Central Europe, Black Forest carvings grew in popularity and remain so to this day. The Black Forest refers to the surrounding forests of Brienz, Switzerland, which produced woods such as walnut and linden wood used in these incredible carvings. Carvings of the Black Forest are easily identifiable through their extravagant but realistic designs and common themes such as animals climbing trees or playing instruments, birds and intertwined branches.

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