New World, Spanish Colonial, Mexico, ca. 19th century CE. A sweet wood santo figure of a seated Christ Child, with a sensitively-carved face and brown glass eyes. The artist has painted wonderful details, giving him realistic looking skin and facial features. He wears a large and ornate tin crown. Size: 3" L x 4.125" W x 9.5" H (7.6 cm x 10.5 cm x 24.1 cm)



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. They became a folk art tradition in the Spanish New World, from modern day Guatemala to as far north as New Mexico and Colorado. 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.



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

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#120706

Wear to paint as shown, but overall very nice condition for its age and compared to similar figures.