Saint Isidore, 17th Century, 60 Cm, Spanish School, Polychrome Wood And Gold Leaf

Spanish polychrome wood sculpture, gilded with gold leaf.
This sculpture possesses a beautiful expression, with meticulously detailed motifs on the drapery and faces.
It is in very good overall condition.
Period: 17th century, Spanish School.
Subject: Saint Isidore, the patron saint of farmers.
Dimensions: Height: 60 cm - Width: 35 cm - Depth: 30 cm.

Saint Isidore:
Isidore the Ploughman (born around 1070 in Madrid, died around 1130 in Madrid) is considered a saint; his feast day is May 15th. He is the patron saint of Madrid, as well as of ploughmen, farmers, day laborers, and carters.
Placed at a very young age as an agricultural worker, he worked for several masters. Faced with the arrival of the Saracens, he fled the Madrid region and continued his humble work elsewhere.
It is said that he was the object of jealousy from the other workers, who accused him of preferring to pray rather than work the land like them.
Every Sunday, with his wife Maria Toribia, he sang at the lectern during High Mass and spent the rest of the day in prayer. However, his last employer, Juan de Vargas, made him his overseer.
The latter watched him to verify the other workers' claims: he caught him in prayer, in ecstasy, while the oxen continued to pull the plow, as if they were being guided by two angels. During the summer, when everything was parched by the scorching sun, Isidore's master went to see him in the fields. Seized by a burning thirst, he asked the man of God if he could show him a place where there was water. He hurried to the place shown
to him, but found nothing: the heat had dried everything up. He returned in a very bad mood: "You deceived me," he said. "Let's go together," replied Isidore.
And he led him to the neighboring hill. There, not the slightest trace of water; everything was perfectly arid and dry. The saint plunged his goad into the earth, and a spring of fresh water gushed forth at once.
Dazzled, Juan de Vargas converted.

Sold with invoice and certificate.

Sculpture on display at our gallery in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (France) on weekends.
Free shipping within France.
Shipping abroad available upon request.

A1558