Bidspirit auction | Saint Anthony of Padua with

Saint Anthony of Padua with the Child. Attributed to Diego Quispe Tito. Colonial School. 17th century - Oil on canvas. The composition depicts Saint Anthony of Padua standing, dressed in the brown Franciscan habit with a hood and cord, holding the Child Jesus in his left arm. The child leans on a closed red book and looks up at him while holding a cross. In his right hand, the saint carries a branch of white lilies, a symbol of purity. The figure of the saint, frontal and serene, conveys contemplation and tenderness, while the Child adopts a classic pose of blessing. The neutral background, with a slight gradient of light, draws attention to the figures, who appear softly modeled, with a firm outline and restrained chiaroscuro. The sober and direct execution denotes a skilled hand in the treatment of the face and the folds of the habit, with special attention to restrained expressiveness. This iconography follows the traditional model promoted by the Counter-Reformation and widespread in the Andean colonial era, where devotion to Saint Anthony was particularly intense. The work, attributed to Diego Quispe Tito, is part of the 17th-century Cusco painting scene, characterized by its serene spirituality, symmetrical compositions, and saturated colors. Its likely intended use was a chapel or convent in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Dimensions not indicated.