• Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here.
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Who is this sculpture?

C

Camo

Active Member
Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2024
I am fascinated by this sculpture and wondering if anyone has any ideas about what it might mean. Not sure if any religious meaning but if so please feel free to bounce it (dear mods).

Clues are it is in a church along with 11 other sculptures (some equally weird to me) so I guess it is some manifestation of an apostle and as the church is for Mary of the Assumption maybe this is how the apostle became once in Heaven? It appear he has angel wings.

But he also has a huge sword and is dressed as a conquistador (it would seem) but the sword also has an exaggerated Cross which would figure as the conquistadors were about spreading the word of Jesus to the people of South America.

But even more weird is that the cross also acts as a set of scales (of Justice?) and remember that the booty was divided up with 20% to King (and Church), but for me it suggests also a connection to the Egyptian weighing of the heart ceremony (Book of the Dead)?

And just who was his hairdresser looking more like Mel Gibson in Braveheart than a Spaniard of the time.

 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
SabsP said:
Archangel Michael
Click to expand...
Yep, Saint Michael, dressed as a knight, with wings and with his scales for weighing souls. An omnipresent motif along the way to Santiago and pretty much elsewhere in medieval Europe.

The archangel Michael is often included in Last Judgment scenes. Fear of the Last Judgment, and taking precautions, was a major motive for medieval pilgrims. Here is another link to Saint Michael the Archangel: The Iconography. It has a photo of a painting and not the usual statue. I'd post it here but it has male frontal nudity - though only for the group of the damned. The saved ones wear a piece of clothing.

When Saint Michael is depicted in his dragon/satan slaying capacity, he is often confused with Saint George. It is the wings that distinguish the two as Saint George does not have wings.

All the things you learn on your way to Santiago ...

 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
It’s St. Michael the archangel. He is often portrayed with a scale as he weighs the souls ( thumbs up heaven… thumbs down …. You’ll need a fan) this representation is often shown close to the Virgin Mary as she shows mercy . In the Hail Mary the end goes” pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”. His sword? From his battle with Lucifer.
 
Sorry Missed a bit… yes, I am a guide in the Montreal museum of Fine arts where we have a wonderful Di Bici altar panel showing a very similar representation of. St Michael. The hairdo? I cannot comment on angelic beauty parlours but this certainly is not a portrayal of St James and has nothing to do with conquistadores.
 

Attachments

  • image.webp
    1.8 MB · Views: 30
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Kathor1 said:
his scales for weighing souls
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies and I think I recall the Archangel Michael from my long ago religious "teachings".

And yes the weighing of the heart/souls does seem to relate to book of the dead practices where your past deeds determine your fate in the "afterlife/Heaven".

The scales seem to instantly detach via a pin on the sword so the sword is quickly available for action - quite clever bit of "multi tasking design"
 
Well, the scales, sword contraption in the statue is very much of the material world. I mean the sculptor may have portrayed it like that for economy of materials, space etc. but I wonder if an archangel couldn’t manage all that in a more “ heavenly” way.
 
isobelmtl said:
but I wonder if an archangel couldn’t manage all that in a more “ heavenly” way.
Click to expand...
Yes it is a puzzle but to add to that we have his 3 mates on his right side

The lady on left seems to have a "super size pen" (or is it Palm Sunday?) and she has a very pained look.

Bloke in the middle seems to have lost his bow

Bloke on right has a huge sword AND huge pen? - maybe he is trying to decide if pen is mightier than sword? - his hair stye is on a par with Michael IMHO and he has a whimsical look
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
My most memorable statue of an archangel is Saint Raphael in Burgos. Probably the most frequently photographed, too.
 
we have his 3 mates
The lady on left
Bloke in the middle
Bloke on right
Click to expand...
These blokes, mates and ladies are all saints. The statues are an expression of Christian (Catholic) faith. Whether one agrees with the Catholic Church and faith or not, these artistic expressions of other people's faith - in the past as well as in our time - deserve respect and courtesy.

In Christian religious art, saints are depicted with their attributes - they are often a pointer to how they got tortured for their belief and murdered or to another element of their live's narrative, such as a martyr's palm branch or a martyr's sword or a torture instrument or a specific flower. There are plenty of sources about Christian Iconography on the internet that make good reading for anyone truly interested in this symbolism.
 
Last edited:
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
Where is the church?
Click to expand...
There is no need for an answer anymore. The statues are in the Cathedral of Tui. The name of each saint is spelled out in large letters at the base of each statue. These "mates" and "blokes" are female as one can easily read: Santa Sila, Santa Victoria and Santa Quiteria.

 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

Sagrada Familia
Replies
5
Views
1K
timr
Alerts
Replies
3
Views
506
J Willhaus
Top 15 Small Churches On The Camino
Replies
24
Views
3K
grdemedeiros
B
  • Tags art/architecture
    • How do I spell this sculptor’s name?
    Replies
    15
    Views
    2K
    Bradypus
    Pilgrims Behaving Badly - Is the Camino Frances full?
    Replies
    54
    Views
    9K
    Lynn R Kelly
    L
    Menu
    Log in
    Register