SALES ARCHIVE

A MAGNIFICENT EARLY 16TH CENTURY CARVED WALNUT AND POLYCHROMED FIGURE OF ST ANTHONY. CIRCA 1520. SOUTH GERMAN.

ST ANTHONY WAS THE FOUNDER OF MONASTICISM AND IS THUS USUALLY SHOWN IN A MONKS HABIT ALTHOUGH HE WAS MORE OF A HERMIT WHO LIVED IN SOLITUDE IN THE EGYPTIAN DESERT.
THE FLAMES FLICKERING UP FROM THE BASE REPRESENT THE DISEASE KNOWN AS ST ANTHONY’S FIRE AND HE WAS GENERALLY REGARDED BY CHRISTIANS AS HAVING THE POWER TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING. HE CARRIES A GNARLED STAFF AND HIS ATTRIBUTE OF A PIG WITH A SMALL BELL ROUND HIS NECK, LOOKS UP AT HIM FROM THE LEFT. PIG’S LARD WAS ALSO SAID TO BE A REMEDY FOR CURING ST ANTHONYS FIRE AND PIGS WERE KEPT BY THE BROTHERHOOD OF ST ANTHONY AND ALLOWED SPECIAL GRAZING RIGHTS. ST ANTHONY’S ASSOCIATION WITH PIGS WAS THUS TO GIVE HIM AN AFFINITY WITH FARMERS AND HIS MIRACULOUS POWERS WERE CREDITED WITH SAVING THEIR STOCK FROM AFFLICTION AND DISEASE.


WALNUT WITH ORIGINAL POLYCHROME.

FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION.

23.5" HIGH X 16" WIDE X 7" DEEP


STOCK NO 1024.


Dimensions:
Height: 23.5 inches (59.7 cms)
Width: 16 inches (40.6 cms)
Depth: 7 inches (17.8 cms)

SOLD

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