Spanish school of the 18th century

Spanish school of the 18th century.
"Saint John child".
Polychrome carved wood.
Vitreous paste eyes.
Measurements: 24 x 17 x 11 cm; 38 cm (height with base).

Sculpture of round bulk representing San Juanito. In spite of the fact that our specimen does not conserve the clothes, it is a dress image. This type of religious images of dress have been made in the West especially since the Baroque, an artistic style very interested in the representation of figures as realistic as possible. Sometimes the figures are even endowed with natural hair and eyes and other glass elements. It is not uncommon for the entire body of the figure to be carved in wood and polychrome, but it was also very common for only the parts of the body that would be seen once the image was dressed (i.e. hands and face) to be made of wood and the rest to be made of esparto grass or wood with hardly any work, or even strips joined together. This allowed a lowering of costs, so that the brotherhoods or churches could choose artists of higher quality for the realization of their images. In addition, the figures would wear quality embroidered cloaks and other clothing, so that the worked part would not be seen, making it a dispensable expense.