French
Female Saint, 19th century
Polychromed and gilded wood, 62.5 cm (24 5/8 in.)
This painted wooden statue depicts an unknown light-skinned female saint holding a small church in her right arm. She stands on a dark brown, circular wooden base. With her left hand, she holds up her blue dress, which has folds carved into it to show movement in the fabric. The bodice of her dress is a dark blue and has a gold pendant in the center, while the skirt is a teal. Her left foot peeks out under the hem of her dress where she has lifted it. The saint wears a long golden shawl over her dress. Some of the gold paint appears red in certain areas. Atop her head is a red, triangular bonnet with a teal veil reaching down to the ground. A handwritten label can be seen on the base of the veil.
Chapel
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.