Figure of a Saint

The sculpture of the saint is rendered in an expressive pose with theatrically spread arms and a head turned towards the right shoulder. The graceful contrapposto figure is depicted in motion. The sculptor focused not on accurately reproducing anatomical accuracy but on conveying form, mood, and emotions, evident in the figure's slight disproportions and narrow, drooping shoulders. The artist paid attention to details and realistically captured the man's facial expressions: a lean, ascetic face, a high forehead lined with wrinkles, slightly closed eyes, prominent cheekbones, sunken cheeks, a straight nose, and closed lips. The expressiveness of the figure is enhanced by the dynamic folds of the clothing, wavy hair, and long strands of beard that seem to be blown by the wind. In the lower part of the figure, the drapery forms unique abstract, angular planes with geometric sharply cut folds. The work is evident in its expression, the distinctiveness of the pose, and its unique silhouette. The style of image reproduction and the manner of drapery carving resemble the works of the 18th-century sculptor Antoni Osinski.

Father of the Church

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery