This is a rare and original antique late 19th-century French devotional tabletop oratory frame featuring a hand-painted porcelain medallion depicting Our Lady of Lourdes. Hand-painted Limoges porcelain center. The central oval medallion features a hand-painted porcelain or enamel plaque depicting the famous Marian apparition. It illustrates the Virgin Mary standing in the grotto of Massabielle, with Saint Bernadette Soubirous kneeling in prayer below her. The fine French text written next to the Virgin Mary reads "Je suis l'immaculée conception" ("I am the Immaculate Conception"). This refers to the words spoken during the apparition on March 25, 1858. The centerpiece is housed inside an openwork metal frame. It is heavily stylized with organic Art Nouveau elements, featuring an intricate branch and large blossom on the right side, balanced by a prominent Christian cross at the top. These types of small decorative pieces were originally produced in France as devotional travel altars, home oratories, or high-quality souvenirs for pilgrims visiting the sanctuary at Lourdes. The original stand is on the back, along with a hook for hanging, so this piece can hang or stand. This beautiful antique piece measures 6" tall and is 4" wide, and the porcelain is in perfect condition.
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