Bidspirit auction | LUIS SALVADOR CARMONA (Nava del

LUIS SALVADOR CARMONA (Nava del Rey, Valladolid, 1708 – Madrid, 1767) Circle- Saint Francis of Assisi meditating on death (ca. 1750) - Walnut wood carving. Dimensions: 44 cm high (including the base). This freestanding sculpture depicts Saint Francis of Assisi holding a skull, an iconography of profound meditative and penitential character linked to the Franciscan spirituality of the late Baroque period. The figure is treated with compositional elegance and remarkable delicacy in the modeling, revealing a refined study of the folds of the habit, as well as careful anatomical work in the hands and face. The meticulous carving of the beard and the serene expressiveness of the saint are also noteworthy, features related to the Madrid school of the mid-18th century. The work shows stylistic affinities with sculptural models by Luis Salvador Carmona and his circle, especially in the treatment of the face, the softness of the drapery, and the devotional sensibility of the composition. Probably made for a domestic setting or private collection, it reflects the small-format models prevalent in the Madrid school of the period. With valuation and attribution report issued by Gerardo Fuentes Pérez, PhD in Art History and member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Miguel Arcángel. Provenance: Spanish private collection.