Enrique Rendon, St. Martin Caballero (Double figure), 1980, painted cottonwood, cloth, leather, fiber, metal, 13 7⁄8 x 8 1⁄8 x 11 1⁄8 in. (35.2 x 20.6 x 28.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.79
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Artwork Details
- Title
- St. Martin Caballero (Double figure)
- Artist
- Date
- 1980
- Location
- Dimensions
- 13 7⁄8 x 8 1⁄8 x 11 1⁄8 in. (35.2 x 20.6 x 28.3 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- painted cottonwood, cloth, leather, fiber, metal
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Animal — horse
- Figure male — nude
- Occupation — beggar
- Religion — saint — St. Martin
- Object Number
- 1997.124.79
Artwork Description
St. Martin Caballero is more popularly known as St. Martin of Tours, a soldier who, according to Catholic legend, cut his cloak so he could give half to a beggar. In this piece, Enrique Rendon showed St. Martin handing his cloak to a half-naked man. Both of the figures stare out at the viewer with Rendon’s trademark “piercing eyes.” (Laurie Beth Kalb, Consuming Devotions, 1992)