Granada or Murcian school; XVIII century.

Granada or Murcian school; XVIII century.
"Saint Joseph with Child".
Polychrome terracotta.
They have crowns of silver metal.
They present restorations,
Measurements: 50 x 22 x 18 cm.
Sculpture in terracotta modeled in round bulk. Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus have been represented in dynamic attitudes, obtaining the movement through the draping of the fabrics and the gestures of the little one. The canon is stylized, so that Joseph's long body ends with a small head that harmonizes with the elegant waist. The fine features, the stylized bearing and the sweetness of the gestures lead us to think that he is probably from the school of Granada or Murcia. Until the Counter-Reformation, the most common thing was that the figure of Saint Joseph remained in the background, since no theological importance was given to him. However, after Trent, his protagonist role as protector of Jesus during his childhood, as a guide during his youth, was recovered, and as such he is represented here. In contrast to the tenderness, defenselessness and candor of the infant figure, St. Joseph is presented as a monumental character, an impression that is reinforced by the pyramidal composition. Through this form of representation, the author visually enhances the decisive role as protector of the putative father of Jesus.
Stylistically, it is inserted in the Granadine baroque, which can be appreciated not only in the iconography, but also in the model chosen as an influence for it, in the decoration of the clothing, in the coloring, in the features of the face, etc. Compare, for example, with the face and volumes of the "Inmaculada del facistol" made by Alonso Cano in 1655 and preserved in the Sacristy of the Cathedral of Granada, or the hand models or environment of Diego de Mora (Granada, 1656-1729), brother of José de Mora who also trained with Alonso Cano (particularly the Inmaculada de la Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Cruz de Pampaneira in Granada), or the one in the Parish Church of Santa Cruz de Pampaneira in Granada; or that of the parish church of La Anunciación de Cogollos Vega in Granada, to cite two examples somewhat similar to the present sculpture).