Sculpture of Saint Apollonia

Carved in oak and inscribed to the base S. Apolonia, this finely detailed figure represents Saint Apollonia, the early Christian virgin martyr of Alexandria. She is shown standing gracefully, her mantle flowing in deep folds across her body, and holding in her right hand the instrument of her martyrdom — a pair of pincers, once grasping a tooth.
According to tradition, Apollonia was tortured during an uprising against Christians in 249 AD, her teeth violently shattered before she met her death in the flames. Venerated since the Middle Ages, she became the patroness of dentistry and was invoked by the faithful for relief from toothache and other ailments of the mouth.
The elegant drapery and poised figure reflect the transition from late Renaissance to early Baroque in Netherlandish sculpture, while the survival of her identifying inscription makes this a rare and evocative work of devotional art.