Saint Florian pouring water from a bucket over a burning building

Germany, ca. 1500
Sculpted in Wood

In most depictions St. Florian is pictured pouring water from a bucket over a burning building. This iconography is said to illustrate a legend in which he saved a burning building (or town) with a single bucket of water. In the context of this legend, Florian is the patron saint of firefighters, Chimney sweeps and soapmakers.