Spanish Renaissance school; XVI century.

Spanish Renaissance school; XVI century.
"Saint Apollonia".
Carved and polychrome wood.
It presents faults and damages caused by xylophagous.
Measurements: 102 x 41 x 33 cm.
In the case of the figure this one shows a classic and serene conception, where only the high arm with which the saint holds the tongs stands out, a feature that has been recreated by the artist in an elegant way without exacerbated dramatism. The gesture of the face preserves the restraint and balance of the Renaissance school. The piece was originally conceived to be part of a larger ensemble and to be contemplated from the front, since the work has not been worked on the rear area. The sculpture reflects perhaps better than other artistic fields this desire to return to the classical Greco-Roman world that exalts the individuality of man, creating a new style whose vitality surpasses mere copying.
Saint Apollonia belongs to the group of virgin martyrs who suffered in Alexandria during a local uprising against the Christians in the middle of the 3rd century, before the persecution of Decius. She was martyred by the violent extraction of all her teeth, and is therefore the patron saint of dentistry. Christian historiography narrates that in the last years of the rule of Emperor Philip the Arab (between 244 and 249), during the festivities to commemorate the millennium of the foundation of Rome, the fury of the Alexandrian crowd turned to anger, committing bloody atrocities against Christians that the authorities made no effort to stop. Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, recounts the sufferings of his parishioners in a letter addressed to Fabius, the bishop of Antioch, and in it he narrates that Apollonia, a virgin presbyter, was a prominent figure in the Christian community, and that the revolted captured her, and with repeated blows broke all her teeth. They then kindled a bonfire outside the city gates, threatening to burn her alive if she refused to repeat, after them, impious words, blasphemies and invocations to pagan gods. At her own request she was released from her bonds, and then jumped straight into the fire, burning to death. In addition to the general insignia of the palm of martyrdom, the usual attribute of St. Apollonia is a pincer or tongs, which often causes her to be confused with St. Agatha, whose breasts were torn off by the executioners with tongs. However, the tooth caught in the pincer makes it easy to recognize her.