What saint is this?

[MedjurorjeMan]

I found this beautiful wood carving of a saint at a garage sale. It had been painted black at one point.

s101.photobucket.com/albums/m49/rodger_22/saint%20who/

What saint is this?

What was in the arms?

Thanks a lot!

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Probably Saint Francis of Assisi. He loved animals, saw evidence of God in the beauty of nature. He is often depicted holding birds (it is said that they did not fear him).

See saints.sqpn.com/saint-francis-of-assisi/ for a brief biography.

See saints.sqpn.com/saint-francis-of-assisi-gallery/ for pictures.

 

[DJgang]

Poor St. Francis lost his arms and birds, huh?

Love finding things like this!

 

[MarieVeronica]

Definitely looks like a Franciscan saint. St. Francis, or St. Anthony? I bet you could have it restored… with new arms. Maybe a parish artist, or sculptor could help you out?

 

[JS_Cortez]

I think it may be St. Anthony.

His face and habit looks very similar to this image of him: stanthonysparish.org/stanthony2.JPG

Also, St, Francis usually has a beard.

So, I’m guessing in his arms was the child Jesus and maybe a book.

 

[MedjurorjeMan]

On the bottom it says St. Nicolas. 1764.
Does this make sense?

 

[PhilotheaZ]

On the bottom it says St. Nicolas. 1764.
Does this make sense?

The only Nicholas in the saints.sqpn.com database saints.sqpn.com/saints-n/ whose picture bears any resemblance is Saint Nicholas of Tolentino saints.sqpn.com/saint-nicholas-of-tolentino/ , and even that is not a very good match.

The best-known Saint Nicholas (Nicholas of Myra, of Santa Claus fame) was a bishop and is usually represented in art in bishop’s vestments.

My vote is still with Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Anthony; the statue has a Franciscan look to it. And both these saints are frequently represented in religious art (Saint Francis especially in outdoor statuary, although JS Cortez makes a good case for Saint Anthony). Come to think of it, Saint Anthony is usually represented carrying the Christ Child saints.sqpn.com/saint-anthony-of-padua-gallery/ ; perhaps someone snagged the Baby Jesus for their creche?

Perhaps the statue once belonged to a St. Nicholas Church?

 

[LilyM]

Could just possibly be St Nicola (Nicholas) Tavelic - he was a Franciscan if memory serves, actually martyred in the Holy Land in the 1300s, and is a not-very-well-known Croatian saint.

I’m disappointed not to find him on the sqpn website, but then there are 10,000 or more saints and incomparably more Blesseds and Venerables, so I guess it just hasn’t got round to 'em all!