A religious carving (santo) of Majorcan St. Roch (c. 1348-1376). Roch ( "St. Rock" in English and "San Roque" in Spanish) was renowned for his asceticism. It is said that when his pious mother fasted twice a week, her baby refused to nurse as well. Though born into a wealthy and powerful family, Roch gave away everything to became a holy pilgrim. In Italy, he tended to the sick during a plague, until he came down with it himself. He is often shown (as in this depiction) revealing a plague bubo (infected lymph node) on his thigh. The plague-stricken Roch removed himself to the forest to live out his days. But he was miraculously attended to by a dog, who fed him and licked his wounds. The owner of the dog turned out to be a nobleman, who took the saint-to-be in, and cleaned him up. While making his way home, Roch was arrested as a spy and thrown into prison, where he died without revealing his nobility.
St. Roch is considered the patron of apothecaries, bachelors, dogs, falsely-accused people, invalids, pilgrims, second-hand dealers, and surgeons (among other things). We think he looks a little bit like the actor Dennis Hopper, circa Apocalypse Now.
Polychrome wood, 19th Century. Alas, St. Roch has suffered the loss of his right hand, part of his left foot, and the tip of his nose. Origin uncertain; likely from Latin America or the Philippines.
13"/33cm tall.
A religious carving (santo) of Majorcan St. Roch (c. 1348-1376). Roch ( "St. Rock" in English and "San Roque" in Spanish) was renowned for his asceticism. It is said that when his pious mother fasted twice a week, her baby refused to nurse as well. Though born into a wealthy and powerful family, Roch gave away everything to became a holy pilgrim. In Italy, he tended to the sick during a plague, until he came down with it himself. He is often shown (as in this depiction) revealing a plague bubo (infected lymph node) on his thigh. The plague-stricken Roch removed himself to the forest to live out his days. But he was miraculously attended to by a dog, who fed him and licked his wounds. The owner of the dog turned out to be a nobleman, who took the saint-to-be in, and cleaned him up. While making his way home, Roch was arrested as a spy and thrown into prison, where he died without revealing his nobility.
St. Roch is considered the patron of apothecaries, bachelors, dogs, falsely-accused people, invalids, pilgrims, second-hand dealers, and surgeons (among other things). We think he looks a little bit like the actor Dennis Hopper, circa Apocalypse Now.
Polychrome wood, 19th Century. Alas, St. Roch has suffered the loss of his right hand, part of his left foot, and the tip of his nose. Origin uncertain; likely from Latin America or the Philippines.
13"/33cm tall.
