XVII CENTURY MANUFACTURE

Crucified Christ. Inspired by a Giambologna design.

Black-coated bronze, full casting. 31 x 26 x 7,5 cm

Giambologna tried his hand at the subject of Crucifix, setting a new canon in which balance and moderation took place of visible sorrow.
He worked on some Christs of considerable size:
1) For the Duke William V of Bavaria, as a diplomatic gift from the Grand Duke Ferdinando I, life-sized, now kept at Saint Michael’s church in Munich.
2) For the convent of the Santissima Annunziata in Florence, Madonna del Soccorso chapel (his family’s sacellum), almost identical to the abovementioned Christ.
3) For the convent of Santa Maria degli Angiolini, Florence, as a donation to the confraternity. Size: 46,8x37x2.
4) For the convent of Saint Mark, Salviati chapel, based on the abovementioned one but likely refined by Susini. Size: 45,8x36,3.
5) Another basically identical specimen for the Siena Cathedral.

Giambologna’s foundry also produced many Christs in bronze or silver, meant as diplomatic gifts or for private religious use. Scholars have found out that these Christs were mostly produced by his assistants, especially Antonio Susini. These statues are home-sized, around 30cm.

With regards to our Christ here presented, attempting to dispute its provenance is a lost cause. It could, however, be Giambologna’s studio’s work due to its design, executive quality, excellent coating and size.

This statue seems have been made using the “full casting” technique and not the “lost-wax” one. An X-ray scan could corroborate this assumption.

A very similar Christ is preserved in Cleveland’s Museum of Art.

This is a rather unusual casting, as it was made with a single pour of the metal and was left unchiselled. Charles Avery has hypothesized that it might have not been designed for the market: these kinds of statues were highly chiselled and made with the “lost-wax” technique. Perhaps it was produced with a single pour based on a wax model by Giambologna. The presence of small defects on the back also suggests it might not have been market ready.

This statue, despite following the standard template of Giambologna’s Christs, features some very fascinating varieties. The first one is the loincloth, particularly skimpy and revealing. The tie-up laces are hidden behind Christ’s hips, while in other specimens they are usually in the front. These details make it alike Cleveland’s piece which was mentioned before. The beautiful, reclined head is covered by curly locks that go all the way to the back. The statue’s wonderful black coating features some light abrasions that reveal the bronze’s original colour.

The Christ is presented with an alloy examination, executed by the Physics University of Milan.

Comparative bibliography:
C. Avery, Giambologna, Firenze, 1987, p. 202 e p. 264, s. 96;
Giambologna Sculptor of the Medici: 1529 - 1608, catalogo della mostra a cura di C. Avery e A. Radcliffe, Edinburgh 1978, pp. 143-146.