Tooth
Extracted or broken tooth displayed in hand.
Martyrs
Saint Apollonia
Apollonia of Alexandria
A pair of pincers, sometimes gripping a tooth, distinguishes Apollonia from other martyrs carrying a palm.
Saint ApolloniaFrancisco de Zurbarán · c. 1636–1640
01 / 03
- Feast
- February 9
- Era
- Mid-3rd century · Alexandria
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Iconographic Attributes
Iconographic field guide
Identifying features
Northern and Spanish baroque painters loved her frank attributes. The tooth may be oversized for teaching clarity; pincers resemble dental or blacksmith tools. Do not confuse with allegories of Pain without halo and martyr palm.
- Clothing
- simple robes · deaconess veil
- Colours
- red · brown · gold
- Symbols
- tooth · pincers
Dental Pincers
Dental forceps used in her torture—pair with tooth.
Palm
Confirms martyr status in solo portraits.
Visual Gallery
Works / 03Saint ApolloniaFrancisco de Zurbarán · c. 1636–1640
Saint ApolloniaArtemisia Gentileschi · 1642–1644
Saint Apollonia in the Hours of Charles the NobleMaster of the Brussels Initials and associates · c. 1405
Biography
Life & legacy
National Gallery, LondonAn early account places Apollonia’s death during violence against Christians in Alexandria. Her attackers injured her teeth and threatened her with fire. Later artists gave her the pincers and tooth associated with her veneration by people suffering from toothache.
Eusebius, Church History VI.41; medieval martyrologies; baroque devotional portraits.
Historical Context
Dionysius of Alexandria describes an older Christian woman attacked during local violence in Alexandria. Later devotional images connect her with toothache and dentistry.
Deaconess who refused to renounce Christ.
Martyrdom, Office, or Spiritual Role
Teeth shattered or extracted; leapt into fire rather than apostatize.
Representation in Sacred Art
Tooth, forceps/pincers, palm; sometimes fire in narrative.
Narrative scenes to recognize
Apollonia with pincers and tooth
torment before the fire
solo devotional portrait
Visual Recognition Guide
1.Tooth held in hand or on display
Body-part attribute from her torture—highly specific
2.Dental pincers or forceps
Instrument of martyrdom, often paired with tooth
3.Elderly woman with martyr's palm
Deaconess type—sometimes shown as aged virgin
4.Fire or pyre (narrative scenes)
She threw herself into flames
Quick checklist
Tooth + pincers is nearly unique—only compare Lucy (eyes) or Agatha (breasts).
Patronage and Devotion
Patron of dentists; invoked against tooth pain.
dentistsdental surgeonstoothache sufferers
Distinguishing Similar Figures
Often confused with Saint Lucy: Both have body-part attributes; Lucy has eyes on a plate
Often confused with saint agatha: Both virgin martyrs with torture attributes; Agatha has breasts on a dish
Notes from the Archive
- Invoked against toothache in medieval prayer books and household charms
- Artemisia Gentileschi and Zurbarán both painted memorable solo portraits
Practice
