St. Roch in carved wood, 17th century

A very beautiful group, from the 17th century, carved in the round on oak and representing Saint Roch.
All the iconographic attributes of the Saint are grouped together in this sculpture:
The Saint stands leaning on his staff (or staff) and wears pilgrim's attire (hat, cape, boots, satchel, etc.).
The garment, slightly rolled up on his right leg, reveals a plague bubo on his thigh, which an angel points to with his index finger. He is accompanied at his feet by a dog holding a piece of bread in its mouth.
Saint Roch gives us a lively gaze, while a thick mustache and a long, forked beard highlight the lower part of his face.
The large hat adorned with a shell recalls the symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
The drapery of the tunic, tightened at the waist by a belt, is decorated with parallel pleats, and a pretty clasp holds the front of the cape in place. The satchel is worn across the shoulder and is adorned with a braided tassel.
All of these details demonstrate the quality and fine workmanship of this sculpture, whose iconography illustrates the legend of Saint Roch.
The pilgrim, caring for the plague victims, and himself suffering from the plague, retreats deep into the woods to avoid spreading the contagion. In the forest, he is fed by a lord's dog, who brings him bread stolen from his master's table every day. He will also be cared for by an angel.
Saint Roch is a very popular saint. It is, among other corporations, the protector of the medical professions, animals, street paver workers, carders, farmers, and agricultural workers...

Dimensions
H. 70 cm x W. 31 cm x D. 24 cm

France
Oak with a beautiful patina
17th century

The pilgrim's staff, also called a "bourdon," has been a major pilgrim's attribute since the Middle Ages. The word "bourdon" derives from the Latin "burdo," meaning "mule," because, like the animal that supports loads, the staff supports the pilgrim during his journey.
This staff was originally smaller than the walker, but was later depicted as larger. Equipped with a metal-tipped end, it is a cross between a staff and a spear. In the Cortex Calixtinus (a manuscript from around 1140, written in praise of Saint James to promote the pilgrimage to Compostela), the two main functions of the staff are mentioned: to assist in walking and to protect the pilgrim "against the wolf and the dog."
Symbolically, the pilgrim's staff is also the "staff of hope," a weapon of salvation against the devil's traps through penance.