I've been called a dealer of broken things on more than a few occasions, and indeed it does seem to me that it is very often the broken ones, in one way another, that feel the most soulful. This antique santos is definitely a case in point--with the one glass eye that has endured feeling all the more exquisite for the loss of the other (as do those finely painted eyelashes), and the dark void of its absence on the other side feeling all the more deep. Perhaps the saint represented here is Saint Anthony of Padua, often portrayed holding the baby Jesus--though here it appears he's got Mary in hand here too. (And I love the Russian doll sort of nesting effect; a figure holding a smaller figure holding a smaller figure....) With a wonderfully fine featured face, and beautiful polychromed surface including fancy gold decoration down the front of the robe. Wonderful.
11" t x 4 1/4" w x 2" d and in sturdy, sound and I think beautifully aged condition, stands squarely on its own (and no recessing in the base, so seems never to have been on a stand.) Missing one glass eye as evident and one hand.
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