Spanish School; 18th century.

Spanish School; 18th century.
“Saint Anthony of Padua.”
Oil on canvas mounted on wood.
Shows slight signs of wear.
Measurements:
Oil on canvas depicting Saint Anthony of Padua kneeling in adoration before the Infant Jesus, who appears on a cloud surrounded by a halo of glory. The saint, dressed in a Franciscan habit, holds a branch of lilies, a symbol of purity, chastity, and virtue. The composition is completed by an open book and a sphere in the foreground, elements associated with the saint’s iconography. The scene stands out for the contrast between the simplicity of the habit, the warm tones of the background, and the touches of red and blue in the cloth wrapped around the Child. In the lower left corner, there is an inscription referring to Saint Anthony of Padua.
The popularity of the depiction of Saint Anthony of Padua with the Infant Jesus can be explained by the extraordinary devotion this saint inspired beginning in the Middle Ages, a devotion that remained fully alive throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. During the 18th century, against the backdrop of the enduring Baroque spirituality and the importance of images in religious practice, this subject offered artists an easily recognizable iconographic model with great devotional power. For this reason, it was a frequent subject in paintings commissioned for churches, convents, private chapels, and private oratories