This statue of Saint Barbara, depicted standing and holding one of her most common attributes—the tower, symbolizing her confinement and faith in the Holy Trinity—may have been one of the first images brought to Terceira Island by early settlers. She is traditionally invoked as a protector against storms and is also the patron saint of artillerymen and miners, professions historically associated with the use of gunpowder.
The devotion to Saint Barbara is rooted in her martyrdom: according to legend, her father—who chose to act as her executioner after she converted to Christianity—was struck down by a divine lightning bolt at the very moment he beheaded her.
The sculpture features broad, angular folds, a mantle fastened at the chest, an oval-shaped face, a sharp chin, and long, wavy hair—all characteristic of 15th–16th-century Ançã limestone sculpture. However, the gilded polychromy suggests a later intervention, possibly from the 17th century, reminiscent of Baroque woodcarving styles.
Originally from the Parish Church of Santa Bárbara, this piece was deposited in the museum on October 7, 1999, and is now part of the Fine Arts Management Unit. It is on display in the exhibition From the Sea and the Land… a History in the Atlantic.
