St Semuc

The simulacrum of St Semuc is one of the young individuals preserved within the SCMA collection. While its overall composition and posture closely resemble that of St Fortunato, there are notable differences in the arrangement and use of textiles.

For instance, the light blue figured fabric used for the armour and shorts of St Fortunato appears here as St Semuc’s mantle. In turn, the richly coloured zoomorphic-patterned fabric used for St Fortunato’s mantle was applied to St Semuc’s tunic. Interestingly, this same textile pattern also features in the mantle of St Justina (Igreja de St António, Lisbon) and the dress of St Victoria (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa, Porto).

The absence of gauze coverings on the arms and legs exposes both the bones and the internal metal mesh structure. The dislocation of the cranium from its metallic support prevents the face from being clearly seen from the front. Throughout the simulacrum, small bones — apparently of animal origin — are scattered across the figure.