A Santos Cage Doll, or a little saint, was an early form of religious art. The practice of carving these fascinating creations first began in Spain and the earliest dates back to 1555. These dolls were first displayed in homes in rural villages where the faithful had little or no access to churches. These devotional Renaissance artworks were originally carved in wood or ivory and dressed in elaborate clothing. Some larger Santos Cage Dolls were adorned with precious gems, jewels and even wings. They often had interchangeable or poseable arms and featured a cage-like lattice to hold and shape the garments.  Collectors would create elaborate costumes to dress the dolls.

The Santos Artist is called a Santero. These artisans typically worked in the European tradition of polychrome embellishment and carved in locally available wood. Cage Dolls are no longer made from ivory, but true originals are highly sought after and extremely rare!

Reproduction Santos Dolls are usually made of wood, have painted eyes and have been adapted to suit secular artistic purposes. A few have even been used as store mannequins.

Happily, this traditional art form continues to this day!