Master of the Venetian culture (1570-ca.1640): Corpus Christi, carved and polychrome decorated walnut, ca. 1590-1620

H 125 - L 101 cm

The face, simplified and turned downwards due to its probable collocation above an alter, has been executed with great ability by the sculptor who evidences the emotive aspect: relaxed yet at the same time aching with the acceptance of his fate. The body is marvellously carved with a particular attention to human anatomy and musculature, the torso is sinuous, elongated, the torsion of the bust is elegant, noble in his interior pain. The perizoma, white with gold highlighting on the edges, leaves the long thigh exposed.

The Christ is not yet dying, but fully alive. In keeping with the typical canon of the end of the sixteenth and start of the seventeenth century, the sculptor attends to the anatomic detail of the work, concentrating on musculature of the torso, the pronounced abdominal muscles which finish in a 'V' in the lower stomach; this style of sculpture is very similar to examples from the Venice area and the notable similarity can be observed in our piece. From the chromatic point of view, we are perfectly in line with Venetian sculpture. The flesh in ochre yellow, is typical of the north Italian area, and the white perizoma with its gold trim was used in Italian sculptures in the sixteenth century.

Provenance:

- Private noble collection, Brussels, Belgium.

- Ex-collection Chiale Fine Art.