Central European school, 18th century.

Central European school, XVIII century.
"Saint John Nepomuk".
Hand painted wood carving.
Measurements: 38 cm. height.

John of Nepomuk, patron saint of Bohemia, appears in this carving represented with his characteristic costume. The tunic is folded in sinuous and complex draperies that follow with naturalism the movement of the body. The saint holds his finger to his mouth in allusion to the silence of the secret of confession. Stylistically, it is inscribed in the baroque tradition. It presents a preferably frontal work, given that on the back it has a hollow for a niche. Saint John Nepomuk or John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk, c. 1340 - Prague, March 20, 1393) is the patron saint of Bohemia. He is the patron saint of the Spanish Marines, and his feast day is celebrated on May 16. According to some historians, he was the confessor of Sophia of Bavaria, the queen consort of Bohemia, and refused to break the vow of sacramental secrecy, which caused the wrath of King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia;1 so John Nepomucene would be the first saint to receive martyrdom for keeping the secret of confession. He is the protector against slander, and due to the manner of his death, protector against floods.