Santo-bulto

Art Historical Context

**Santo-bulto** is a captivating 1938 rendering by Eldora P.ini, part of the esteemed Index of American Design (IAD). Created in watercolor, colored pencil, graphite on paper (56.2 x 40.6 cm), it documents a traditional *santo-bulto*—a carved wooden figure of a saint, rooted in Spanish colonial folk art traditions of the American Southwest, particularly New Mexico. The original stands 30 1/2 inches high on a 11/16-inch-thick base, evoking the devotional wooden statues venerated in Hispanic Catholic communities. Lorenzini's work emerged from the IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression (1935–1942). This ambitious initiative employed artists to preserve America's diverse folk art heritage through precise, colorful illustrations, safeguarding objects at risk of loss. Her mixed-media technique blends fluid watercolors for vibrant textures with graphite for fine details, capturing the santo-bulto's expressive carving and spiritual essence. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece highlights the cultural fusion of European religious iconography and indigenous craftsmanship, underscoring the IAD's role in celebrating everyday American artistry. Visitors will appreciate how Lorenzini's drawing bridges history and devotion, inviting reflection on our shared folk traditions.