Polychrome carved wooden panel representing Saint Luke, 17th century

This lovely carved walnut panel in its original frame represents Saint Luke.
The Saint is seated at his desk, he writes his gospel.
He is wearing a long red robe covered with a cloak.
His bearded face offers fine features.
Behind him stands a bull, his attribute.
The furniture and the decor (lectern with a baluster base, perspective tiling, curtain tied with a pompom, column…) give this scene a certain charm.
This panel has retained its original frame mounted with wedges and carved with foliage.

Walnut
Original polychromy
France
17th century


Our wink: The iconographic attribute of Saint Luke is the bull because his gospel begins with the evocation of Zechariah, priest-priest officiating at the Temple of Jerusalem. The bull, embodying power and fertility, was an important sacrificial animal in the Jewish religion. He thus became the symbol of Saint Luke.
In the Catholic tradition, Luke is the patron saint of doctors and of painters and sculptors (this is why many academies of Fine Arts are called or have been called “Saint-Luc”).