FIGURE OF A PENITENT SAINT
Probably Spanish, circa 1720-50

14" H x 6" D x 5 1/8" W

A carved wooden figure of a bearded saint, richly polychromed and gilded in the estofado technique to simulate patterned brocade. The saint’s head is bowed and his hands are brought gently together at the chest, the wrists bent in a gesture that likely once rested against a staff or other attribute now missing. The surface decoration is finely tooled with floral and geometric motifs over a red bole ground, the palette of gold, green, and crimson characteristic of late Baroque sculpture from southern Spain. The underside is drilled with a central hole, suggesting the figure was originally doweled into a larger base or architectural setting - the staff or object in his hands would likely have had an attachment to that base, as there is no visible attachment point or surface disturbance within his hand.

Condition:
Minor losses and wear to the polychromy and gilding, small surface abrasions, scattered flaking including losses to the Saint's cheek and raised edges of his garment; missing a staff or other element; hole to the underside from a likely mounting point.

ref. 509WGS12P