San Miguel Arcangel

San Miguel Arcangel

Carved completely by hand with gouges and knives in wood of Palo santo.
Measures 46x20x12 cm
Weight: 500 grams

The sculpture is carved in one piece, except for the flaming sword, which is another piece.
That is to say, that the image of the San Miguel was taken complete of a trunk of palo santo.

As can easily be seen, this is a direct carving on wood made by Mexican farmers, without any use of machinery.

San Miguel is my favorite saint.
This wood carving of Sabino represents Saint Michael victorious, for this reason the devil no longer appears, which is how St. Michael is usually depicted.
Here he is alone and victorious after having killed the devil with his flaming sword.
In Mexico it is called palo santo al sabino, palo santo in Brazil, Colombia and other parts of South America is another tree.
I must say that no tree has been knocked down to make these sculptures, since they are made with roots, branches and pieces that have been found lying near the streams which is where the Sabino or Palo Santo usually grows.