Santa Rita de Casia

Felipe de la Espada, Santa Rita de Casia, late 18th-early 19th century, carved and painted wood with glass, 19 1⁄4 x 7 3⁄8 x 6 1⁄4 in. (48.9 x 18.8 x 15.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.40
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Artwork Details

Title
Santa Rita de Casia
Artist
Date
late 18th-early 19th century
Location
Dimensions
19 1⁄4 x 7 3⁄8 x 6 1⁄4 in. (48.9 x 18.8 x 15.9 cm.)
Credit Line
Teodoro Vidal Collection
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved and painted wood with glass
Classifications
Subjects
  • Religion — saint — St. Rita
Object Number
1996.91.40
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.91.40

Artwork Description

Conservation of this santo revealed red marks representing blood and a faded trace of a thorn on the figure’s forehead beneath layers of paint. These are symbols of St. Rita, who spent her days meditating on Christ’s sacrifice at the Monastery of the Hermits of Saint Augustine in Casia, Spain. This santo is meant to be dressed with textiles representing her habit. Her arms have been lost and she no longer wears a wig. The figure was found in a peasant home in the rural district of Minillas in San Germán, Puerto Rico. In its early colonial years, Puerto Rico had very few priests and it was difficult for those who lived in remote areas to attend church. As a result, rural Puerto Ricans worshiped at home before altars filled with santos, such as this Santa Rita.

Works by this artist (626 items)

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Werner Drewes, Central Density, 1973, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1975.116
Central Density
Artist
Date1973
oil on canvas
On view
Werner Drewes, Pointed Brown and Floating Circles, 1933, oil, pen and ink, and pencil on wood panel, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Patricia and Phillip Frost, 1986.92.17
Pointed Brown and Floating Circles
Artist
Date1933
oil, pen and ink, and pencil on wood panel
On view
Werner Drewes, Suspended Forms, woodcut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1977.21.11
Suspended Forms
Artist
woodcut
Not on view
Werner Drewes, Summer Bouquet (no. 242), color woodcut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1968.9.81
Summer Bouquet (no. 242)
Artist
color woodcut
Not on view

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Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
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Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
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Artist
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embossed paper
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Artist
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lithograph
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Image Not Available
Les Quais de la Seine a Paris
Artist
Date1917
hand-colored etching on postcard
Not on view