Santo Domingo in Ivory
An ivory head of Santo Domingo de Guzman
ESTIMATE: PHP 550,000 - 600,000
18th century
Manila
Ivory, wood, glass eyes, polychrome
18 x 11 x 13 cm (7 x 4 1/4 x 5 in)
Provenance:
From the heirs of Dr. José P. Bantug
Separately carved ivory heads were intended to be attached to a sculpted saint’s body, which could take several forms: de tallado, a fully carved and finely detailed wooden body painted in organic polychrome to create a complete sculpture; de gozne or mannequin-type wooden body with articulated limbs; or a bastidor-type structure consisting of a half-length carved wooden torso with a wooden slat framework below, functioning like a petticoat and also fitted with articulated limbs. The latter two forms were designed for de vestir sculptures, meant to be dressed in real, often elaborately embroidered garments. Once completed, these santo images were installed in church altar niches or used as processional figures. Affluent families likewise commissioned santo images for private devotion within their homes.
This ivory head represents Santo Domingo de Guzmán. It features an elongated, narrow face with softly rounded yet prominent cheeks and a refined jawline. The almond-shaped eyes are slightly wide and contemplative, retaining their original, well-integrated glass elements. Heavy lids rest beneath high-arched eyebrows, enhancing the introspective expression. The nose is slender and elongated, characteristic of Baroque devotional sculpture. The beard is deeply undercut and stylized in controlled, layered curls, while the small mouth with gently fleshy lips conveys a calm, inward-looking demeanor. The overall aesthetic is light and refined. A circular cavity beneath the head confirms that it was designed to be mounted onto a wooden body. Both its construction and stylistic characteristics point to early 18th-century (1700–1740) production in Manila workshops, where highly skilled Chinese artisans (Sangleys) collaborated with indigenous Filipino carvers. During the early to mid-1700s, sculptors increasingly emphasized subtle naturalism, evident here in the slightly parted lips – revealing carved teeth when viewed at an angle – and in the delicately indicated Adam’s apple (laryngeal prominence). This ivory head represents a superb example of Manila workshops at their technical peak, during a period when the colonial settlement was recognized as a global center of religious art.
Possibly due to pecuniary considerations or the unavailability of ivory of sufficient size, the uppermost portion of the head, including the finely carved tonsure, was fashioned separately from wood and surmounted onto the ivory. Based on strict classical proportions, the head would have originally belonged to a sculpture measuring approximately 36 to 42 inches in height.
Santo Domingo de Guzman or Saint Dominic (1170-1221) was a Castilian Catholic priest and founder of the Dominican Order. He and his order are traditionally credited with spreading and popularizing the rosary. The mark on the ivory forehead indicates the former presence of a star appliqué, one of the saint’s principal attributes, symbolizing the light of holiness and divine wisdom.
This ivory head has remained in the possession of the Bantug family, passed down through successive generations from their distinguished collection, beginning with the patriarch Dr. José P. Bantug (1884–1964), physician, public health educator, and author.
Lot 212 of the Salcedo Auctions auction on March 14 and 15, 2026. Please see salcedoauctions.com for more information and to place an online bid.
Santo Domingo in Ivory
An ivory head of Santo Domingo de Guzman
ESTIMATE: PHP 550,000 - 600,000
18th century
Manila
Ivory, wood, glass eyes, polychrome
18 x 11 x 13 cm (7 x 4 1/4 x 5 in)
Provenance:
From the heirs of Dr. José P. Bantug
Separately carved ivory heads were intended to be attached to a sculpted saint’s body, which could take several forms: de tallado, a fully carved and finely detailed wooden body painted in organic polychrome to create a complete sculpture; de gozne or mannequin-type wooden body with articulated limbs; or a bastidor-type structure consisting of a half-length carved wooden torso with a wooden slat framework below, functioning like a petticoat and also fitted with articulated limbs. The latter two forms were designed for de vestir sculptures, meant to be dressed in real, often elaborately embroidered garments. Once completed, these santo images were installed in church altar niches or used as processional figures. Affluent families likewise commissioned santo images for private devotion within their homes.
This ivory head represents Santo Domingo de Guzmán. It features an elongated, narrow face with softly rounded yet prominent cheeks and a refined jawline. The almond-shaped eyes are slightly wide and contemplative, retaining their original, well-integrated glass elements. Heavy lids rest beneath high-arched eyebrows, enhancing the introspective expression. The nose is slender and elongated, characteristic of Baroque devotional sculpture. The beard is deeply undercut and stylized in controlled, layered curls, while the small mouth with gently fleshy lips conveys a calm, inward-looking demeanor. The overall aesthetic is light and refined. A circular cavity beneath the head confirms that it was designed to be mounted onto a wooden body. Both its construction and stylistic characteristics point to early 18th-century (1700–1740) production in Manila workshops, where highly skilled Chinese artisans (Sangleys) collaborated with indigenous Filipino carvers. During the early to mid-1700s, sculptors increasingly emphasized subtle naturalism, evident here in the slightly parted lips – revealing carved teeth when viewed at an angle – and in the delicately indicated Adam’s apple (laryngeal prominence). This ivory head represents a superb example of Manila workshops at their technical peak, during a period when the colonial settlement was recognized as a global center of religious art.
Possibly due to pecuniary considerations or the unavailability of ivory of sufficient size, the uppermost portion of the head, including the finely carved tonsure, was fashioned separately from wood and surmounted onto the ivory. Based on strict classical proportions, the head would have originally belonged to a sculpture measuring approximately 36 to 42 inches in height.
Santo Domingo de Guzman or Saint Dominic (1170-1221) was a Castilian Catholic priest and founder of the Dominican Order. He and his order are traditionally credited with spreading and popularizing the rosary. The mark on the ivory forehead indicates the former presence of a star appliqué, one of the saint’s principal attributes, symbolizing the light of holiness and divine wisdom.
This ivory head has remained in the possession of the Bantug family, passed down through successive generations from their distinguished collection, beginning with the patriarch Dr. José P. Bantug (1884–1964), physician, public health educator, and author.
Lot 212 of the Salcedo Auctions auction on March 14 and 15, 2026. Please see salcedoauctions.com for more information and to place an online bid.