A child awakening

This carved ivory figure of a child awakening is made in ca. 1650 in the South Netherlands by an unknown artist. This statuette could have an allegorical meaning, either acting as a memento mori, and/or as a depiction of the Christ Child. It is at the same time reminiscent of secular subjects, such as Venus reclining on a couch. Its style suggests it is South Netherlandish, rather than Italian, although it was called Italian on acquisition.