Alabaster bas-relief of Saint Anthony of Padua, Mechelen, 17th century

Carved alabaster plaque with gold highlights in a very beautiful original "pastilla" frame decorated with interlacing. This bas-relief is an example of the very typical artistic industry that flourished in Mechelen from the mid-16th century to the first third of the 17th century. The production of alabaster pieces is linked to the Flemish Renaissance period. Unlike the somewhat earlier domestic altarpieces, the carved devotional reliefs generally date from around 1600.
These alabaster works depict a variety of themes: they include the lives of saints, mythological scenes, allegories, historical figures, and portraits.
Here, Saint Anthony of Padua is depicted as a monk with benevolent features, carrying the Infant Jesus kneeling over the book of the Gospels; his head slightly bowed as if watching over him.
In his other hand, he holds a crucifix, the object of his adoration and a symbol of resurrection and hope. The Saint is dressed in a Franciscan habit tied with a three-knotted cord.
The composition is set against a landscaped background featuring a tree and what appears to be a city or a church.
Saint Anthony is particularly popular in the Catholic tradition. It is to him that we address our prayers when we wish to find a lost object or bring a loved one who has lost his way back to the right path. By extension, he has become the patron saint of lost causes, prayed to in particular by the poor, the shipwrecked, the oppressed, and the elderly. Over time, Saint Anthony has also become the protector of pregnant women and those suffering from infertility. In popular devotion, it is customary to call upon Saint Anthony to help find lost objects using this well-known phrase:
"Saint Anthony of Padua, great thief, great thief, return what is not yours !"

Dimensions with frame: H. 26 cm x W. 21.5 cm
Alabaster dimensions: H. 14.5 cm x W. 11 cm

Mechelen, Flanders
Alabaster with gold highlights
Early 17th century
Small loss at the base of the bas-relief