Saint Francis Xavier. Seville (?) (Spain), 18th century.

Sculpture made of polychrome and gilded wood, produced in an 18th-century Andalusian workshop, possibly in Seville, judging by the crucifix held in the right hand. A portion of the stole is missing. The flesh tones have been restored at the Tarea Foundation. Acquired in Buenos Aires at an auction held by the Bulrich auction house around 1970. Héctor Schenone Collection.

Dimensions: Height 60 cm

This is a figure sculpted in a distinctly Baroque style, distinct from the Montañés masters or the 17th-century sculptors who dominated Andalusian sculpture. The artist was a religious image maker who composed using curved rhythms, hence the S-shaped figure and the flowing “winged sleeves,” employed as a plastic device, as are the dark recesses of the cassock. The embossed detailing on the garments is executed with a very loose sgraffito technique; the change in design observed on the back is the work of another hand, possibly that of a less experienced assistant.