Andalusian labor; c. 1850

Andalusian work; c. 1850.
"La siesta".
Polychrome terracotta.
It has slight flaws.
Measurements: 7 x 18 x 9 cm.
This sculpture is born of the Spanish nativity scene tradition, an artistic and devotional practice deeply rooted since modern times and especially developed in the southern area. In this context, cities such as Granada or Seville were consolidated as centers of production of figures destined not only to represent strictly biblical scenes, but also to enrich the nativity scenes with episodes of everyday life. The scene, apparently alien to the Gospel story, acquires full meaning within the nativity scene as a symbolic construction of a complete world, where the sacred coexists with the human and the everyday.
From the stylistic point of view, the work participates in the Spanish costumbrismo of the 19th century, a trend that focused on the representation of popular types, rural scenes and daily habits. This interest in what is close and recognizable translates here into a figure of strong naturalism, where the terracotta modeling allows to capture with simplicity but effectively details such as body posture, the serene expression of the face or the careless disposition of the limbs. The polychrome, applied in a sober manner, contributes to give verisimilitude to the scene without detracting from the form.