Saint Anthony of Padua 17th-18th century

sculpture, ivory

square composition

structure

stone

sculpture

sculptural image

unrealistic statue

sculpting

sculpture

ivory

ruin

statue

rock

This small ivory sculpture depicts Saint Anthony of Padua, a revered Catholic figure known for his eloquence and miracles. The anonymous artist carved Saint Anthony holding a small child, likely representing the Christ Child, a symbol of his role as a preacher. The statue's warm, ivory tones and delicate details, characteristic of 17th-18th century devotional art, are evident in this piece. This small, portable sculpture would have likely been used for private prayer or as a devotional object within the home.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The province of Goa in western India was under Portuguese control from 1512–1961, forming a nexus in trading routes that circumnavigated the earth. Goan craftsman were renowned for their supple modeling of ivory (likely exported from Mozambique) into Christian icons, which feed the appetite for luxury products in Europe, as well as furthered evangelical missions throughout Asia and the Americas. Within the genre of Indo-Portuguese ivories, popular subjects include ‘Christ as the Good Shepard’ (the image of Christ as child would have related to similar bronze statuettes of the God Krishna) and the ‘Virgin of the Immaculate Conception,’ which shows Mary atop a crescent moon, both of which remain ever-present icons in South Asia’s diverse religious landscape.