French / Corpus of Christ / ca. 1250

French
Corpus of Christ
ca. 1250
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Creator Nationality: European; French
Creator Name-CRT: French
Title: Corpus of Christ
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 1240
Creation End Date: 1260
Creation Date: ca. 1250
Object Type: Sculpture
Classification Term: Ivories
Materials and Techniques: Elephant ivory, traces of polychromy
Dimensions: 6 5/8 x 1 11/16 x 1 5/16 in. (16.8 x 4.3 x 3.4 cm)
AMICA Contributor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Owner Location: New York, New York, USA
ID Number: 1978.521.3
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Maxime Levy Hermanos, 1978
Rights: http://www.metmuseum.org/
Context:

The suffering of Christ on the cross was so important in Gothic art that the mid-thirteenth-century statute of the corporations of Paris included a guild dedicated to the carving of such images, including ones in ivory. This ivory sculpture of Christ, whose pathos and agony are beautifully conveyed, was executed in the round and most certainly was intended for an altar cross. In spite of the loss of both arms and parts of the legs (which originally were attached to the body by means of pegs), the modeling of the figure reveals a profound sensitivity to form and expression. The powerful anatomical structure-portraying, naturally, the corporeality of the dying Christ-is remarkable for a crucifix of this period. The closed eyes and the long hair, which falls down the back and right side of the head, reveal the emotional impact of death. A subtle twist in the torso was produced in part by the positioning of the legs, which were crossed and mounted on the cross with a single nail.

AMICA ID: MMA_.1978.521.3
AMICA Library Year: 2000
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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