San Juanito

Wood, gesso, paint; fabric banner tied to an unfinished stick of wood; painted eyes
Church of San Juan Teitipac, Oaxaca, Mexico

St. John the Baptist is identified by the book and lamb on his left hand, the banner in his right, and the animal-skin garment. Sr. Hilario Lopez, our informant in 1991, referred to the santo as "San Juanito" (a diminutive) and explained that it is used in the procession for the feast of St. John the Baptist.

The statue is inconsistent in execution. The head and torso are visibly of better craftsmanship than the legs and feet. A straight line at the waist suggests later repairs, or that it was made in two pieces. The lamb is of recent manufacture and is tied to the book with a blue ribbon.

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Photographed at the church by Claire and Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.