Our Lady of Piety (Primary Title)
Oratory (Object Name)
Francisco Xavier dos Santos, Brazilian, 1739 - 1804 (Artist)
This oratòrio, or oratory—a type of structure usually containing images of Christ, the Holy Family, or the saints—was used for devotion in a private home. The central pietà of polychrome wood reflects larger trends in Spanish Baroque polychrome sculpture and is typical of the reach of the late Counter- Reformation. However, the surrounding decoration of shells, coral, beetles, and silver ingots embodies its Brazilian origin. Francisco Xavier dos Santos, also called Das Conchas (of the shells), was one of the foremost artisans of the colonial Rococo, and his most famous works are in the church of Nossa Senhora do Outeiro da Glória in Rio de Janeiro, pictured at left.
John P. Alexander Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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