Plate 39: St. John Nepomuk Bulto: From Portfolio "Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico"

American 20th Century

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts a human figure with an upright stance. It has a distinct hairstyle with a tall, dark upward-pointing segment on top of its head, giving a crown-like appearance. The figure has facial features including a beard and is dressed in a garment that appears to be a combination of a long coat or robe-like clothing, draping down from the shoulders and extending below. The robe is primarily light in color with decorative edges, while the underlying garment appears darker. The figure has partially extended arms with hand gestures. The sculpture is set on a rectangular base with a zigzag pattern along the edge. The material appears to be painted wood with a combination of dark browns and beige tones providing contrast. The overall look of the sculpture is stylized and somewhat abstract in nature, maintaining symmetrical features.