San Nicolás

Colonial era, probably later than the 16th century
Wood, gesso, paint; carved hair; fabric habit with the collar and placket outlined in gold; 4 feet tall (122 cm.).
Santa María Zaachila, Oaxaca, Mexico

The saint was identified as San Nicolás by a parishioner. This is consistent with the tonsure, the Franciscan habit, and the skull between the feet. The bird on the plate in his left hand may have been placed there owing to confusion with some other saint – perhaps St. Francis himself, or one of the saints associated with the story of the revivified chicken, such as James the Greater or Dominic de la Calzada.

A Franciscan holding a skull was also identified as San Nicolás at San Juan Teitipac, and a similar santo is in San Juan Guelavia.

Close by is an inscription, "Renovado por Morroquin."

More of St. Nicholas Factor
More of St. Francis of Assisi
More of St. James the Greater
More of St. Dominic de la Calzada

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