Saint Anthony hermit in carved and polychrome wood 17th century

Saint Anthony the hermit is represented standing, wearing the robe and hooded mantle of the Antonines, carrying the Book in the left hand and the '' tau '' (staff ending in a T) in the right hand.
At his feet are the flames and the pig with its bell around its neck.
Aged features, full beard, attributes, clothing are features common to many representations of the saint.
Here we find the attributes of the saint: the book symbolizes knowledge, the pig evokes the solitary life of the hermit and his fight against lust, the flames represent the pain felt by the sick and the `` tau '', the crutch crippled patients.
Saint Anthony is a recognized saint protector and saint healer, he is widely present in Christian iconography.

The base bears the inscription "S. Antoni ora pro nobis" and a date from which only the last two digits "68" can be distinguished. This suggests the date of 1668 with regard to its 17th century period.

Dimensions
H. 64cm x L.21cm x D. 17cm


France
Original polychrome
17th century