**Originally Listed at $1200**

Spanish Colonial, Mexico, ca. 18th century CE. A finely carved and painted wooden Santo depicting Saint Anthony of Padua. He is depicted holding the Holy Child who sits on the holy book and presents a blue orb representing his worldly domain in his left hand, a lily leaf or perhaps a flame representing his flaming heart in the left, wearing a gold trimmed Franciscan habit with hood resting behind his head, a golden halo, and wood bead rosary. Size: 6" W x 19.75" H (15.2 cm x 50.2 cm)

This fine rendering of San Antonio de Padua -also known as Anthony of Lisbon as he was a Portuguese devout Catholic follower of Saint Francis of Assisi and would spend his final days in Padua, Italy- projects a solemn countenance and facial expression with glass inlay brown eyes focused in contemplation. He stands upon a circular base which tops a square pedestal. Saint Anthony became an articulate speaker known for his passionate preaching and expert knowledge of scripture who converted hundreds of people and spread Portuguese evangelism. He also became the patron saint of recovering lost items and miraculously finding lost people.

The depiction of Saint Anthony holding the Christ Child is a theme that originated in the time of the Counter Reformation when religious iconography favored the childhood of Christ. Artists of the 16th and 17th centuries were the first to present this type of emotional sentimentality in this religious depiction. This sweet and gentle depiction was popularized by Murillo and his Mexican imitators. It appears this Santo once wore a blue robe that was later painted brown. The blue robe is quite unusual. While Spanish Franciscans wore blue robes to symbolize their devotion to the immaculateness of the Virgen, after a papal decree in 1897, brown became the universal color of Franciscan habits.

Provenance: From the Lilly and Francis Robiscek Collection of Religious Art, Charlotte, NC

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#119803

Leaf or flame-like attribute in his left hand is incomplete, probably was a lily or flaming heart. Surface wear with age cracks and pigment losses as shown. It appears that the saint was initially painted with a blue robe, but later this was repainted brown to reflect the 1897 papal decree for brown habits.