Tuscan Medieval Style Crucifix in Tempera and Oil on Wood, 19th Century

Details

Description

Crucifix (christus patiens) with god the father, the virgin, and saint john
in the style of 14th-century tuscan painting

tempera … Read more Crucifix (christus patiens) with god the father, the virgin, and saint john
in the style of 14th-century tuscan painting

tempera on panel

height: 150 cm - width: 99 cm

non-invasive conservative restoration completed (detailed photo of the work before the restoration)


we present this precious antique crucified christ, with god the father blessing on the cymatium, the sorrowful virgin, and saint john on the sides. The latter, weeping, are the figures mentioned in the gospels, present at the foot of the cross and having witnessed jesus' sacrifice, thus having an important value of testimony and participation.

the work, a tempera on panel, is executed in the style of 14th-century tuscan painting, adhering to its standards of quality and style.

the first painted crosses, created in tuscany and umbria in the 12th century, became the symbol of christ's sacrifice and thus an emblem of christianity. While in this early phase, the typology of christ was that of the christus triumphans, with his triumphant aspect over death, starting in the mid-13th century, with the preaching of saint francis of assisi, who favored the human aspect of christ, the model of the christus pathiens came to be favored.

a key work of this genre is giotto's crucifix in santa maria novella in florence, not only for its quality but also for the depth of its meaning and symbolic value, becoming a reference model for the painting of many followers.

giotto forgoes the ennobled beauty of the slender and geometrically perfect forms of the body (because they are divine) but improbable, to propose the body of an ordinary man, truly nailed to the cross, abandoned with all its physically visible weight.

the painter focuses on the realistic aspects of his condition, such as the flesh tone, the blood, the ribs pressing against the skin, the stretched tendons of the arms, the head drooping forward, and the sense of exhaustion of the body.

regarding the cross presented here, we see a painting rendered according to the 14th-century canons introduced by giotto: christ's head is bowed, and great attention is paid to the anatomical of the body. It is made from shaped softwood boards; the painting is done in tempera, but reveals a refined quality in the color distribution and the chiaroscuro effects.

the halo, like the background of the figures at the ends, is also traditionally painted with a gold ground; in our case, metal decorations are applied to the edge of the halo, a detail that is not typical of the italian tradition, but seems to belong to the french gothic style.

additional information:

comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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