Bulto; Saint Acacio
1935-1942
Captured in vibrant colors, this image documents a traditional New Mexican 'bulto'—a carved wooden saint—depicting Saint Acacio on the cross. Instead of biblical robes, the saint sports a flashy red patterned jacket and blue trousers, a common quirk of local 'santeros' who dressed holy figures in contemporary 19th-century fashion. Below him, a row of six tiny, solemn figures, including a drummer and soldiers with rifles, likely represent his fellow martyrs standing guard on a wooden platform. It’s a charming blend of Catholic history and Southwest folk culture, preserved in paint by artist E. Boyd during the 1930s.
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