San Pedro
San Pedro & San Pablo
Early 19th Century
Baticuling, Polychrome and Gold Leaf
San Pedro:
H:39 1/2” x L:13 1/4” x W:9 1/4” (100 cm x 34 cm x 23 cm)
San Pablo:
H:39 1/2” x L:17” x W:11 1/2” (100 cm x 43 cm x 29 cm)
Opening bid: P 800,000
Provenance:
Northern Luzon, probably Pangasinan
Lot 74 of the Leon Gallery Auction on 9 September 2017. Please see leon-gallery.com/ for more details.
St. Peter, whose original name was Simon, was born in Bethsaida but settled in Capharnaum, where he was living with his mother-in-law in his own house. A fisherman with his own boat, he pursued his profitable occupation in Lake Genesareth. It was his brother Andrew, attracted by the Baptist's preaching of penance, who brought him to Jesus. The latter, upon seeing him, said: "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas (Aramaic for rock, petrus in Latin.)" After the first meeting, Peter and the other early disciples remained with Jesus for some time, accompanying Him to Galilee, Judaea, and Jerusalem, then through Samaria back to Galilee, where Peter resumed his occupation of fisherman for a short time. He soon received the definitive call of the Savior to become one of His permanent disciples. Peter and Andrew were engaged at their calling when Jesus met and addressed them: "Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men". From then on, Peter remained always beside Our Lord and a little later Christ chose His Twelve Apostles as His constant associates in preaching the kingdom of God. Christ accentuated Peter's precedence among the Apostles, when, while journeying along with His Apostles, Jesus asked them: "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" The Apostles answered: "Some John the Baptist, others say Elias, while others Jeremias or one of the prophets". Jesus said to them: "But who do you say that I am?" Simon said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God". And Jesus answering said to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". By the word "rock" the Savior meant Peter, and His wish to make Peter the head of the whole community of those who believed in Him as the true Messiah. Thus, Peter was personally installed as Head of the Apostles by Christ Himself. The statue above is that of San Pedro or St. Peter, the apostle. Being ranked first among the apostles in importance, his statue is often placed together with St. Paul on either side of the main portal in the façade of almost every church.
The pieces were made during the first half of the 19th century and closely resembles the huge statues in the main altar of the church of Calasiao, Pangasinan. It is of a size that must have originally been in the main altar of a chapel in a convent or an important visita or barrio chapel. The carving of the hair, particularly the curly beard, is admirable and displays the inventiveness of the santero.
The image is clad in a green tunic and a yellow cape, the liturgical colors of St. Peter, the gilding of which are largely intact. The image stands with one foot forward in typical Philippine stance and carries a book on his left hand and a pair of keys, signifying the Gates of Heaven, on his right.
Paul the Apostle, whose original name was Saul, was a Greek-speaking Jew from Tarsus, a major city in the Roman province of Syria by the time of Paul’s adulthood. Two of the main cities of Syria, Damascus and Antioch, played a prominent part in his life and letters. Considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age, he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe and took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences. Prior to his conversion, Paul spent much of the first half of his life persecuting the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem and was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem", when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus, and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God.
Following this revelation, which convinced Paul that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be the promised messiah, he went into Arabia, then returned to Damascus and, three years later, he went to Jerusalem to become acquainted with the leading apostles there. After this meeting he began his famous missions to the west, preaching first in his native Syria and Cilicia. During the next 20 years or so, he established several churches in Asia Minor and at least three in Europe.
During the course of his missions, Paul realized that his preaching to Gentiles was creating difficulties for the Christians in Jerusalem, who thought that Gentiles must become Jewish in order to join the Christian movement. To settle the issue, Paul returned to Jerusalem and struck a deal. It was agreed that Peter would be the principal apostle to Jews and Paul the principal apostle to Gentiles. Of the 27 books in the New Testament, 13 are attributed to Paul, and approximately half of another, Acts of the Apostles, deals with Paul’s life and works. Thus, about half of the New Testament stems from Paul and the people whom he influenced. Only 7 of the 13 letters, having been dictated by Paul himself, can be accepted as being entirely authentic. The others were written by followers in his name, who often used material from his surviving letters and who may have had access to letters written by Paul that no longer survive. The seven undoubted letters constitute the best source of information, and his epistles continue to be vital roots of the theology, worship and pastoral life in the Catholic and Protestant traditions of the West, as well as the Orthodox traditions of the East.
The statue above is that of San Pablo or St. Paul. He was not actually one of the twelve apostles, but was so zealous in spreading the Word of God that he is numbered among them. St. Paul is always portrayed carrying a book to signify his writings and a sword, the symbol of his martyrdom. The carving of the hair, particularly the long and flowing beard, is admirable and displays the inventiveness of the santero. The image is clad in a green tunic and a red cape decorated with estofado gilding, which is largely intact.
The green tunic, however, has discolored with age. The image stands with one foot forward in typical Philippine stance and carries a book on his left hand. The sword that he originally carried in his right hand is now missing.
-Martin I. Tinio, Jr.
San Pedro
San Pedro & San Pablo
Early 19th Century
Baticuling, Polychrome and Gold Leaf
San Pedro:
H:39 1/2” x L:13 1/4” x W:9 1/4” (100 cm x 34 cm x 23 cm)
San Pablo:
H:39 1/2” x L:17” x W:11 1/2” (100 cm x 43 cm x 29 cm)
Opening bid: P 800,000
Provenance:
Northern Luzon, probably Pangasinan
Lot 74 of the Leon Gallery Auction on 9 September 2017. Please see leon-gallery.com/ for more details.
St. Peter, whose original name was Simon, was born in Bethsaida but settled in Capharnaum, where he was living with his mother-in-law in his own house. A fisherman with his own boat, he pursued his profitable occupation in Lake Genesareth. It was his brother Andrew, attracted by the Baptist's preaching of penance, who brought him to Jesus. The latter, upon seeing him, said: "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas (Aramaic for rock, petrus in Latin.)" After the first meeting, Peter and the other early disciples remained with Jesus for some time, accompanying Him to Galilee, Judaea, and Jerusalem, then through Samaria back to Galilee, where Peter resumed his occupation of fisherman for a short time. He soon received the definitive call of the Savior to become one of His permanent disciples. Peter and Andrew were engaged at their calling when Jesus met and addressed them: "Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men". From then on, Peter remained always beside Our Lord and a little later Christ chose His Twelve Apostles as His constant associates in preaching the kingdom of God. Christ accentuated Peter's precedence among the Apostles, when, while journeying along with His Apostles, Jesus asked them: "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" The Apostles answered: "Some John the Baptist, others say Elias, while others Jeremias or one of the prophets". Jesus said to them: "But who do you say that I am?" Simon said: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God". And Jesus answering said to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". By the word "rock" the Savior meant Peter, and His wish to make Peter the head of the whole community of those who believed in Him as the true Messiah. Thus, Peter was personally installed as Head of the Apostles by Christ Himself. The statue above is that of San Pedro or St. Peter, the apostle. Being ranked first among the apostles in importance, his statue is often placed together with St. Paul on either side of the main portal in the façade of almost every church.
The pieces were made during the first half of the 19th century and closely resembles the huge statues in the main altar of the church of Calasiao, Pangasinan. It is of a size that must have originally been in the main altar of a chapel in a convent or an important visita or barrio chapel. The carving of the hair, particularly the curly beard, is admirable and displays the inventiveness of the santero.
The image is clad in a green tunic and a yellow cape, the liturgical colors of St. Peter, the gilding of which are largely intact. The image stands with one foot forward in typical Philippine stance and carries a book on his left hand and a pair of keys, signifying the Gates of Heaven, on his right.
Paul the Apostle, whose original name was Saul, was a Greek-speaking Jew from Tarsus, a major city in the Roman province of Syria by the time of Paul’s adulthood. Two of the main cities of Syria, Damascus and Antioch, played a prominent part in his life and letters. Considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age, he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe and took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences. Prior to his conversion, Paul spent much of the first half of his life persecuting the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem and was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem", when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus, and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God.
Following this revelation, which convinced Paul that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be the promised messiah, he went into Arabia, then returned to Damascus and, three years later, he went to Jerusalem to become acquainted with the leading apostles there. After this meeting he began his famous missions to the west, preaching first in his native Syria and Cilicia. During the next 20 years or so, he established several churches in Asia Minor and at least three in Europe.
During the course of his missions, Paul realized that his preaching to Gentiles was creating difficulties for the Christians in Jerusalem, who thought that Gentiles must become Jewish in order to join the Christian movement. To settle the issue, Paul returned to Jerusalem and struck a deal. It was agreed that Peter would be the principal apostle to Jews and Paul the principal apostle to Gentiles. Of the 27 books in the New Testament, 13 are attributed to Paul, and approximately half of another, Acts of the Apostles, deals with Paul’s life and works. Thus, about half of the New Testament stems from Paul and the people whom he influenced. Only 7 of the 13 letters, having been dictated by Paul himself, can be accepted as being entirely authentic. The others were written by followers in his name, who often used material from his surviving letters and who may have had access to letters written by Paul that no longer survive. The seven undoubted letters constitute the best source of information, and his epistles continue to be vital roots of the theology, worship and pastoral life in the Catholic and Protestant traditions of the West, as well as the Orthodox traditions of the East.
The statue above is that of San Pablo or St. Paul. He was not actually one of the twelve apostles, but was so zealous in spreading the Word of God that he is numbered among them. St. Paul is always portrayed carrying a book to signify his writings and a sword, the symbol of his martyrdom. The carving of the hair, particularly the long and flowing beard, is admirable and displays the inventiveness of the santero. The image is clad in a green tunic and a red cape decorated with estofado gilding, which is largely intact.
The green tunic, however, has discolored with age. The image stands with one foot forward in typical Philippine stance and carries a book on his left hand. The sword that he originally carried in his right hand is now missing.
-Martin I. Tinio, Jr.