Saint Vitus

Abstract

This sculpture by an unknown artist depicts Saint Vitus. The figure is raised on a shelf against the wall in the church of Santa Maria of Pulignano. According to his hagiography, Saint Vitus was only twelve when he was martyred. At a young age, Vitus was beaten by his father for not worshipping pagan idols. Under Diocletian, the boy was put to death after being unable to adhere to his commands. This sculpture of the saint is shown holding a book in his left arm and extending his right arm. He has a chain attached to a dog, one of the saint’s attributes. He wears a gold mantle, gold shoes, and his hair down, showing off the luscious curls. It is uncertain whether the figure’s painted flesh was intentionally dark to imitate bronze or has darkened over time. Some paint has chipped off on the clothing. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.