Saint Francis sculpture

In a work on this scale the sculptor had to incorporate the curve of the tusk into the composition. Here, the main figure is carved in one piece, but the tusk was not broad enough to carve the arms as well so they were attached separately; time has exposed the joins. The ivory surrounding the hollow lower portion of the figure is quite thin where the elephant's dental nerve once ran, and parts of the fragile surface have broken off. The Caucasian features of this Saint Francis have made its attribution uncertain, but the quality of the ivory suggests an Indian or Sri Lankan origin.

The sculpture of Saint Francis of Assisi is carved from a single elephant tusk—its figure following the natural curve of the ivory—while separate arms have been attached to compensate for the tusk’s narrowing. The slender hollowed lower section of the carving, where the dental nerve once ran, is extremely thin and has suffered surface breakage with age. Although the saint’s features appear Caucasian—casting some doubt on precise attribution—the high quality of the ivory and the technique strongly suggest an Indian or Sri Lankan origin, likely crafted in Goa during the Portuguese era around the mid-17th century.

Image: MET museum NY

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