Saint Blasius

Antonio Molleno · 1820–40

Medium

Tempera on panel

Original size

34.3 × 26 cm (13 1/2 × 10 1/4 in.)

Currently held

Art Institute of Chicago

Movement

Neoclassicism

Saint Blasius stands as a quietly commanding example of New Mexican colonial religious art, rendered with the spare devotion that defines the santero tradition. Antonio Molleno was one of the most distinctive santeros working in New Mexico during the early nineteenth century, a period when locally made religious images served both liturgical and deeply personal purposes in frontier communities far from the established art centres of Mexico City or Spain. Working in tempera on panel — a technique rooted in medieval European practice but adapted to New World materials and sensibilities — Molleno developed a signature style so recognisable that scholars long referred to him simply as the Calligraphic Santero, named for the fine, flowing lines that animate his figures with an almost graphic precision. His saints are not idealised in the academic sense; they carry a directness that speaks to their intended audience. Molleno's work is now held in several major American collections, with the Art Institute of Chicago preserving this image of Saint Blasius, the third-century bishop and martyr traditionally invoked as protector against throat ailments. This hand-painted oil reproduction translates Molleno's restrained palette and deliberate linework into a medium that deepens the original's presence, making it a fitting addition to any space where art and quiet contemplation belong together.