Spanish or New Spain school; XVII century.

Spanish or Novo-Hispanic school; 17th century.
"Saint Francis".
Carved and polychrome wood. Vitreous paste eyes.
Measurements: 41 x 15 x 10 cm.
Saint Francis (Assisi, Italy, 1182 - 1226) was the son of a rich Italian merchant. Baptised as John, soon he was known as "Francesco" (the little Frenchman), because his mother came from that country. His youth was joyful and carefree until the age of twenty-five, when he changed completely and began to dedicate himself to the service of God, practising the Gospel ideal: purity, detachment and joy in peace. Francesco renounced the great inheritance he had received from his parents and decided to live poorly, giving the example of an authentic Christian. He soon had several young disciples, called by the saint "order of the Friars Minor". In 1210, Pope Innocent III granted them the foundation of the new order and encouraged them in their evangelical work. During a retreat on the mountain, Christ appeared to him, and legend has it that rays came out of his wounds, causing Francis various stigmata. He was a legendary figure during his lifetime, considered a living relic. Likewise, his exquisite poetry and his familiarity with nature add the most human accent known in a saint, as can be seen in his "Canticle to the Sun". His iconography is abundant, second only to that of Saint Anthony of Padua. He always wears the Franciscan sackcloth, with a three-knotted cord tied around his waist. The three knots represent the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
It is worth mentioning that during Spanish colonial rule, a mainly religious painting was developed, aimed at Christianising the indigenous peoples. Local painters were modelled on Spanish works, which they followed literally in terms of type and iconography. The most frequent models were harquebusier angels and triangular virgins; however, in the early years of the 19th century, at the time of independence and the political opening up of some of the colonies, several artists began to represent a new model of painting with its own identity.