Saint Dominic of Guzmán

Saint Dominic of Guzmán

This image of Saint Dominic of Guzmán was made for the cathedral in 1899 by the sculptor Lorenzo Fernández de Viana. It was placed on the altar of the Virgin of the Rosary in the central chapel of the ambulatory. This small altarpiece was presided over by a renowned carving of the Virgin of the Rosary, originally from the Convent of Saint Dominic in Mechelen. This particular image of Saint Dominic was located in the upper part of the altarpiece. It was transferred by the chapter to the Confraternity of La Blanca on 25 October 2000 to be used in the processions of the Rosary of the Lanterns and the Rosary of the Dawn. It is currently on display in the Lantern Museum.

Saint Dominic is depicted as a mature man dressed in the habit of the order: white tunic, robe with mozzeta and black hood. He has a tonsured head, a bushy black beard and a large golden halo that implies his holiness. He is holding in his left hand a large gilded cross with a double crosspiece that is set with stones, while his right hand is holding a rosary and a black dog is at his feet without its customary torch in its mouth. The elegance and naturalistic detail with which Lorenzo Fernández de Viana worked is clearly evident in this piece.