St Erasmus

This ivory statuette representing Saint Erasmus is made by an unknown sculptor. It is probaly a French pastiche dating from ca. 1850, but carved in the style of the eighteenth century, borrowing Spanish baroque traditions. The facial features are distinctly nineteenth century in style, and the elaborate yet crude carving of the robes would also support this date.

Saint Erasmus was the Bishop of Formiae in Campagna, Italy. He fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian, where he was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding. When discovered, he was imprisoned, but an angel rescued him. Recaptured, he was martyred. According to legend, he was disemboweled at Formiae, a windlass used to unwind his entrails.