Nino Jesus

Unidentified, Nino Jesus, 18th century, carved and painted wood and metal, 13 3⁄8 x 5 1⁄2 x 4 3⁄8 in. (34.0 x 14.0 x 11.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.52
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Artwork Details

Title
Nino Jesus
Artist
Unidentified
Date
18th century
Location
Dimensions
13 3⁄8 x 5 1⁄2 x 4 3⁄8 in. (34.0 x 14.0 x 11.2 cm.)
Credit Line
Teodoro Vidal Collection
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved and painted wood and metal
Classifications
Subjects
  • Religion — New Testament — Christ
  • Emblem — cross
Object Number
1996.91.52
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.91.52

Artwork Description

Devotional figures of the infant Jesus became popular in Puerto Rico during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Santeros carved the faces and hands of the statues realistically and clothed the figures with luxurious fabrics. An unknown craftsman carved this small figure in the act of benediction, or blessing, with an orb in his left hand to symbolize God's dominion over the Earth. The three flame-like shapes around the child's head represent the three parts of the soul: memory, understanding, and will. (Lange, Santos: The Household Wooden Saints of Puerto Rico, PhD diss., 1975)