Oak wood sculpture of the child Saint Luke holding a calf on his knees, with a base, as is, with wear and tear.
The evangelist Saint Luke is the patron saint of physicians, painters and sculptors, celebrated on October 18.
Luke is symbolized by the winged bull (animal of sacrifice and symbol of prudence), a painter’s palette or surgeon’s instruments. The Golden Legend of Jacques de Voragine, which devotes a long article to it, is documented by the texts of his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He is a Greek doctor, born in Antioch in the 1st century, worshiper of idols. Until the day he heard Saint Paul speak of Jesus, who came to bring salvation and the resurrection. For 18 years, he will never leave him and followed him until his martyrdom in Rome in 67. He is the presumed author of a gospel and of the book of the Acts of the Apostles.
According to a legend from the 6th century, several icons of the Virgin were considered to have been painted by Saint Luke, because to his practice of languages, law and medicine he would have added that of painting. He is the only one to relate scenes from the childhood of Christ. He is known as the best connoisseur of Greek among the four evangelists who wrote the Gospel, the one who speaks with the most consideration and respect for women, including widows. His Gospel tenderly describes the childhood of Christ and he is the one that best describes the Virgin.
Circa 1800,
Flanders?
Height with base: 62 cm. (24,6 in)
Width: 30 cm. (11,8 in)
Depth: 30 cm. (11,8 in)
