Crucifix
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Authors
Unknown artists (maybe German or Tuscan)
Date
Type
Image
Language
Keyword
Crucifix , Christ , Crucifixion , German , Miracle , Saint Philip Neri
Alternative Title
Abstract
On the altar of the Chapel of the Crucifix in Sant’Agostino in Campo Marzio in Rome stands a late fifteenth-century polychrome crucifix, remarkable for its expressive and naturalistic depiction of Christ. His face is tense, with a slightly parted mouth, emphasizing the intensity of his suffering. Benedetta Montevecchi attributes the emotional realism of this portrayal to Gothic and Nordic artistic traditions. Margrit Lisner further situates the work within a group of crucifixes resembling the Crucifix by Austrian sculptor Giovanni Teutonico (1450–1527) in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence, noting similarities such as the dramatic drop of Christ’s head onto his shoulder, the curvature of the body, the hollowing of the abdomen, and the knotting of the loincloth. Sara Cavatorti, meanwhile, attributes the crucifix to an unknown Tuscan artist, linking it to another crucifix located in Montefiascone Cathedral.
The crucifix holds a revered place in the church’s history, as Saint Philip Neri is said to have prayed devoutly before it.
Over time, the crucifix has been repainted and damaged by woodworms, which has obscured some of its original polychrome details. The nuanced colouration of Christ’s skin and the decorative trim of the loincloth are among the features that have been affected, leaving aspects of its original appearance partially lost.
Photograph(s) licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Description
Sant'Agostino in Campo Marzio, Rome
Citation
Benedetta Montevecchi, Sant'Agostino (Instituto Nazionale di Studi Romani, 1985), 148–150; Sara Cavatorti, Giovanni Teutonico: Scultura lignea tedesca nell'Italia del secondo Quattrocento, (Aguaplano, 2016), 15–16.