Italian school of the 16th century - Lot 11

Italian school of the 16th century Saint Anthony of Padua offering his brothers the tree of divine love Sculpted relief in marble Bears the inscription "CAST VRO LUMINE" in the upper register of the work Carries the quotation "LUCET TUIS AMOR" upside down in a phylactery (Love will shine for yours) H. 38 cm - L. 35 cm, in a black marble stand AL-EJ Wear and minor accidents "In a letter to his disciple, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Francis wrote: "It pleases me that you teach the brothers holy theology. It is this preaching role of the Portuguese Franciscan priest that is presented in this sculpted marble relief. To the left of the composition, the saint is handing his brothers - perhaps still novices, as the two knots on the seated figure's rope seem to indicate - a materialized theological message: the burning tree of divine love. This spiritual discourse invoking God's deep, burning love is a recurrent theme in Saint Anthony of Padua.