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A ' ( English: '
saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
') is a piece of one of various religious art forms found in Spain and areas that were colonies of the Kingdom of Spain, consisting of wooden or ivory statues that depict various saints, angels, or
Marian Marian may refer to: People * Mari people, a Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia * Marian (given name), a list of people with the given name * Marian (surname), a list of people so named Places *Marian, Iran (disambiguation) * Marian, Queensla ...
titles, or one of the personages of the
Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
. A ' (female: ') is a craftsperson who makes the image. Some ' which have gained greater public devotion among the faithful have also merited
papal The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
approval through canonical coronations. ' remain a living tradition of
religious iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...
and folk art in Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and some other
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
islands,
South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
and Central America, and the
Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Ne ...
, especially New Mexico.


History and terminology

Icons and other religious images were crucial for the conversions of indigenous peoples to the Roman Catholic Church, which was itself an integral part of the Spanish colonisation of the Americas. However, long distances, inefficient methods of transportation, and high demand for such artworks limited the ability of ecclesiastical authorities to supply parish churches, especially those in remote outposts, with works of religious art from the Kingdom of Spain. The practice of creating ' began in Spain, where mannequin-style religious images were commonly
vested In law, vesting is the point in time when the rights and interests arising from legal ownership of a property is acquired by some person. Vesting creates an immediately secured right of present or future deployment. One has a vested right to an ...
in ornate religious clothing, often expensive and funded by religious devotees. An early known example is the 1555 statue of
Infant Jesus of Prague The Infant Jesus of Prague ( cs, Pražské Jezulátko: es, Niño Jesús de Praga) is a 16th-century wax-coated wooden statue of the Child Jesus holding a '' globus cruciger'' of Spanish origin, now located in the Discalced Carmelite Church of ...
, already vested during the time of Saint Teresa of Avila. Customarily, jewels are various accessories were also added onto larger ', a tradition still carried on today. While larger pieces are typically used in churches, many smaller ones are personal or family items of reverence, or kept as decorations. ' are also common throughout Latin America, the Spanish Caribbean, and the
Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Ne ...
, as well as the Philippines, with distinct styles and traditions in each area. ' statues and statuettes, carved in the round, are commonly known as ' or informally as '. They are usually made of wood. Larger scenic pieces, including multiple statues or done in
bas relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
, or simply painted on wood panels, and which may include non-figural iconography, are called ', originally altar backboards or screens, though today often adapted to secular artistic purposes in the
Chicano art movement The Chicano Art Movement represents groundbreaking movements by Mexican-American artists to establish a unique artistic identity in the United States. Much of the art and the artists creating Chicano Art were heavily influenced by Chicano Movement ( ...
. Among ', two distinct types are often noted, the ' ('frame', 'structure') style, a mannequin intended to be dressed with clothing and accessories, and the ' ('detailed') style, with adornments painted on permanently (though sometimes also featuring added items). ' often have interchangeable or posable arms, and sometimes feature a cage-like lattice (thus the name) to hold and shape the vestments. Ivory was often cited as the best and most expensive material for carving '.
Elephant ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals is ...
, especially of African origin, has been restricted or banned from sale, distribution, or commercialization in Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, and many other countries. While exact laws vary by jurisdiction (from total bans to legal sale of antiques only), ivory is now rarely used. While the most economical modern type of ' are made of resin or fiberglass, and mass-produced, traditional examples are still made primarily of wood, sometimes with metal accessories.


In the Philippines

The ' culture in the Philippines is widely prevalent among Filipino Catholics, having been influenced by centuries of Spain colonial rule and various forms of folk Catholicism. The earliest recorded vested ' in the Philippines is the
Santo Niño de Cebu Santo (' saint' in various languages) may refer to: People * Santo (given name) * Santo (surname) * El Santo, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (1917–1984), Mexican wrestler and actor * Bob Santo or Santo, stage name of Ghanaian comedian John Evans Kwad ...
, a baptismal gift given by Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon's consort in 1521. In the Spanish period, only the nobility (such as the ') and the rich could afford to have Santo, due to their elaborate ornamentation and design. The procurement and maintenance of Santo is today still considered costly, with the most expensive type of Santo are ones made of ' (ivory). From a religious perspective, the practice of owning and maintaining ' images are often regarded as a mild
Catechism A catechism (; from grc, κατηχέω, "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult c ...
for people, especially with regards to the iconographic attributes attached to specific images. A custodian or family of custodians of a ' are termed ' (female: ', plural '), which in modern Spanish means ' waiting staff'. The most well-known ' in the Philippines are often Marian titles, such Our Lady of Manaoag and
Our Lady of La Naval de Manila Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary — La Naval de Manila (Spanish: ''Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila''; Tagalog: ''Mahal na Ina ng Santo Rosaryo ng La Naval de Manila''; is a venerated title of the Blessed Virgin Mary ...
, while those of Jesus Christ are the
Santo Niño de Cebu Santo (' saint' in various languages) may refer to: People * Santo (given name) * Santo (surname) * El Santo, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (1917–1984), Mexican wrestler and actor * Bob Santo or Santo, stage name of Ghanaian comedian John Evans Kwad ...
and the Black Nazarene. ' (cottonfruit, '' Sandoricum koetjape'') is a favorite material for the figures in the Philippines, as is the wood of ''
Elaeocarpus calomala ''Elaeocarpus calomala'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae. ''Elaeocarpus calomala'' is a tree commonly found in the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Ph ...
'', while ' (''Litsea leytensis'') wood is highly sought after and more expensive, given its resistance to termites.


In Puerto Rico

The santeros are venerated for their skill especially the ones in the
Cordillera Central Central Cordillera refers to the New Guinea Highlands. Cordillera Central, meaning ''central range'' in Spanish, may refer to the following mountain ranges: * Cordillera Central, Andes (disambiguation), several mountain ranges in South America ** ...
, who for decades have perfected the skill of making religious icons. A fourth-generation artist, Celestino Avilés Meléndez, from Orocovis has created pieces for the Vatican in Rome and a Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York. In 1953, 171 wooden statues from Puerto Rico were exhibited at the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts in New York.


In the United States

The tradition of wooden ' carving was preserved as a folk art in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado, where isolated villages remain relatively secluded to this day. Of particular note is the village of Cordova, New Mexico which has produced several well-known '; one was
George López George T. López (April 23, 1900 – December 23, 1993) was a renowned Santo (art), Santos woodcarver who was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982. He was born in the small village of Cordova, New ...
, who was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982. In this region, traditional ', unless made for specific church needs, are usually small, and intended for the home, or for the local church or . They are typically ', without many if any accessories (that is, with clothing and the like carved and painted on the statuettes, though often bearing a separate wooden staff or other bit of regalia). They are most often made of cottonwood, pine or aspen. Many are multi-piece, with hands, head, and other details carved separately and added to a body that is otherwise carved from single block of wood. Nevertheless, the region also has a long tradition of larger, articulated, and often bloody Crucifixion '. A ' usually carves a ' with a knife or other wood carving tools, and then covers it with gesso, a mixture of native gypsum and glue, to prepare it for painting. Some contemporary ' still use paints from homemade pigments. Some ' supplement their income by making ' to sell to tourists, especially at the annual
Santa Fe International Folk Art Market Since 2004, thInternational Folk Art Markethas hosted more than 1000 master folk artists from 100 countries in the world's largest exhibition and sale of works by master folk artists. Artist earnings have exceeded $34 million and impacted more than ...
and Spanish Market, including whimsical items, such as ' of
Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
, who does not figure in Spanish Catholicism. One such ' figurine, by Santa Fe ' Frank Brito Sr. (1922–2005) is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art since 1997; many more traditional ' and other carvings by him are in the Museum of International Folk Art, along with those of other ' from various parts of the world. Entire Nativity scenes in ' style are also popular tourist items. New Mexico is known for its tradition of ''santos''. Sibling ''santos'' painters,
Bernadette Vigil Bernadette Vigil (born 1955) is an American artist and illustrator whose work has been exhibited in museums and galleries nationally and abroad. She has produced permanent public artworks in the form of fresco murals for the cities of Santa Fe a ...
and Frederico Vigil of Santa Fe, though of different styles are both known as "masters of the art of buon fresco which Bernadette has created for commissions by churches.


Attire and accessories

The wardrobe items of more elaborate ', especially mannequins, are often expensive, such as pieces woven with gold thread. The most expensive kind is known in the Philippines as (Tagalog, “wormed”), which uses a type of French
gold bullion A gold bar, also called gold bullion or gold ingot, is a quantity of refined metallic gold of any shape that is made by a bar producer meeting standard conditions of manufacture, labeling, and record keeping. Larger gold bars that are produced ...
thread to make high-relief, embroidered floral and plant patterns on the statue's clothing''.'' Headdresses are also an integral part of a ', often encrusted with costume jewelry (such as paste and rhinestones) or real precious stones, to symbolize the spiritual wealth of the saint. The most common headdress for images is the ' ( halo) behind or above the head, while royal figures wear an additional ' ( crown or coronet). A halo decorating the perimeter of the face, known as a ' or ', is almost always used, but not restricted to, images of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
, pointing to her traditional identification as the “ Woman clothed in the sun” in the
Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
. Images of Jesus are readily identified by the ' (“Three Powers”) halo, a set of three rays protruding from Christ's head at acute angles. These are never used for any other subject, and are interpreted to mean various things, such as Christ's three faculties of will, memory, and understanding. Triangular haloes are exclusive to very rare set images of the
Blessed Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
, and some saints occasionally bear a ' or moon-shaped headband. Some female saints, particularly
virgin martyrs The title Virgin (Latin ''Virgo'', Greek ) is an honorific bestowed on female saints and Beatification, blesseds in some Christianity, Christian traditions, including the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. Chastity is one of the sev ...
, don
diadems The Diadems was one of the bands created by the 3rd French season of the popular reality show "Popstars", called "Popstars - the Duel" aired on RTL Group TV channel Métropole 6 (better known as M6) in fall 2003. This all-girls band "lost" the d ...
or tiaras; female saints are also usually given a
parure A parure () is a set of various items of matching jewelry, which rose to popularity in early 19th-century Europe. Terminology A parure typically consists of a combination of a matching necklace, earrings, brooch, bracelet and often a diadem or tia ...
or other jewellery from earrings, to necklaces, rings, and bracelets. While there are cheap plastic crowns, haloes, and other metal accessories associated with ', others are made of aluminium or, traditionally, tin ( tinwork remains a major folk art form in general in Mexico and New Mexico). These adornments are sometimes
gold-plated Gold plating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold onto the surface of another metal, most often copper or silver (to make silver-gilt), by chemical or electrochemical plating. This article covers plating methods used in the modern ele ...
for a richer effect. A more expensive type in the Philippines is made of solid brass, and fashioned in the ' (
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
for 'hammered') method by an artisan. The costliest of crowns are those made of solid sterling silver or gold, and are often reserved for images owned by wealthy clerics and cathedrals. Another style is ', referring to dented holes placed on gold or silver foiling on the halos or the body of a statue, creating a reflective effect when placed in the light. Other wooden, metallic, or composite accessories, which depend on the iconographic attributes of the subject, range from a long
marshal's baton The ceremonial baton is a short, thick stick-like object, typically in wood or metal, that is traditionally the sign of a field marshal or a similar high-ranking military officer, and carried as a piece of their uniform. The baton is distingui ...
for some Marian images (signifying her military patronage as the ceremonial commander of a unit), a
scepter A sceptre is a staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia. Figuratively, it means royal or imperial authority or sovereignty. Antiquity Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia The ''Was'' and other ...
or staff for various saints, a ' (usually for images of the
Christ Child The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...
), a
rosary The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or b ...
, wings, flowers, a weapon or implement used in a saint's martyrdom, or some other object associated with the figure (e.g. small animals with
Saint Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a Mysticism, mystic Italian Catholic Church, Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most vener ...
). Another costly item involved in the maintenance of a large ' is its ' (carriage), used as the image's vehicle during religious processions in rural Mexico and the Philippines, such as those of a town
fiesta ''Fiesta'' (Spanish for "religious feast", "festival", or "party") may refer to: Events *Fiesta San Antonio, a 10-day event held every April in San Antonio, Texas *St. Peter's Fiesta, a five-day festival in Gloucester, Massachusetts *Fiestas d ...
, and Holy Week. These often have embossed metal decorations, the most expensive being pure silver, and layered cloths forming a skirt to hide the wheels of the carriage, along with carved sides representing episodes from the
Gospels Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
, such as the Passion narrative, or scenes, symbols, and objects associated with the saint.


Notable people

*
Virginia Romero Virginia Maria Romero is one of few non-Hispanic artists to master traditional New Mexican santero techniques. She was born to William Adelbert Phillip Holley and Victoria Theresa Mucha on 16 March 1952 in Sheffield Lake, Ohio, where she grew up as ...
(born 1952), a master artist of traditional New Mexican santero


References


External links


Santos
at the ''Getty Thesaurus of Art and Architecture''
Contemporary ''bultos''
at Museum of New Mexico {{Authority control Visual arts genres Folk art Art in New Mexico Catholic art Christian iconography