LUIS SALVADOR CARMONA (Valladolid, 1708 - Madrid, 1767).
"Saint Joseph with Child".
Modeled and polychrome earthenware.
It presents losses of the fingers of the Child.
Measurements: 43 x 20 x 18 cm; 5 x 10 x 17 cm (base).
The present carving shows a very common image during the reformation; Saint Joseph holding the Child in his arms. In the work the artist shows us St. Joseph in a dynamic way, losing the hieratism of previous periods, and a plump and voluminous child, reminding us to a great extent of the work carried out by the sculptor Luis Salvador Carmona, which can be found in the Church of St. Joseph in the Calle Alcalá in Madrid. In contrast to the tenderness, defencelessness and candour of the child figure, St. Joseph is presented as a monumental character, typically baroque, an impression that is reinforced by the pyramidal composition. Through this form of representation, the author visually emphasises the decisive role of Jesus' putative father as protector. Until the Counter-Reformation, the figure of St. Joseph was usually relegated to the background, as no theological importance was attached to him. From Trent onwards, however, his leading role as Jesus' protector during his childhood and as a guide during his youth was recovered, and he is depicted here as such. We see the two figures on the road, Joseph taking Jesus by the hand, a boy with blond curls and a rosy face, who looks at him smiling.
Luis Salvador Carmona began his apprenticeship in the workshop of Juan Villaabrille y Ron, an outstanding Baroque sculptor. There he developed his style, collaborated on various commissions, and was then able to become independent and open his own workshop in 1731. Most of his production is centred on religious imagery, with clear Baroque references, although certain Neoclassical tendencies can be seen. He worked the figures giving them an appearance of delicacy, serenity and grace, being concerned with the truthful appearance of the human types, although showing them as affable and idealised. He attaches great importance to the expressive function of the clothing and drapery, which he works with great care, sometimes using very fine wooden sheets. In short, he continued the Castilian sculptural tradition in broad outline, but his pieces were simpler, moving away from the grotesque or tragic character that had sometimes predominated in Hispanic Baroque sculpture. Much of his work was produced for Madrid, where the sculptor had his workshop. However, the success and fame of his work led to its dispersal throughout Spain. Part of this fame is due to the work of his nephews Manuel and Juan Antonio, who reproduced some of his sculptures in engravings, increasing their diffusion.