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Spanish Colonial, Mexico, ca. 17th or 18th century CE. A hand carved, richly gilded and painted wood santo of the Virgin and Child, intriguing for Mary's red and gold robes rather than her traditional red robe under a blue cloak, and the intimate, maternal way she holds her infant son who rather than turning toward worshippers leans his head toward his mother. Both display rather plump, rounded bodies and faces, suggestive of the early Baroque era when Rubens established an ideal womanly figure of ample form. Size: 6.75" L x 8.5" W x 23.25" H (17.1 cm x 21.6 cm x 59.1 cm)

It is also possible that this santo was created to represent La Madre de la Luz (Mother of the Light) who stands atop a mound of sorts with heads of demons, angels while holding Baby Jesus in her left arm. Madre Santisma de la Luz or the Holy Mother of Light represents Mary rescuing a man from the jaws of evil signified by creatures like fiery dragons. While this Virgin stands on a mound, it appears that sculptural relief attachments (perhaps the heads of demons or dragons) are missing from it. The silver chain around the Virgin's neck was most likely places there as an offering at one point in time.

Santos played an important role in bringing the Catholic Church to the New World with the Spanish colonists. These religious figures were hand-carved and often furnished with crowns, jewels, and other accessories, usually funded by religious devotees, and were used as icons to explain the major figures - Mary, Christ, and the saints - to new, indigenous converts. Likewise, they served as a connection to the Old World for Spanish colonists far from home. Many of them were lovingly cared for over the years, with repairs and paint added as they aged, and played an active part for a long time in the religious life of their communities. Oftentimes regarded as quite valuable and expensive, the creation of Santos was usually funded by religious devotees.



Provenance: Ex-Francis & Lilly Robicsek Collection, Charlotte, NC

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#120604

Long stable crack from neck to foot. Missing attachments and losses to the mound Mary stands upon. Finial missing from Mary's crown. Christ may have worn crown as well. Stable age cracks and surface wear with losses to pigment and gold leaf as shown. Nice craquelure to surfaces as well.