Crucifix
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Authors
Vespasiano Genuino
Date
Type
Language
Keyword
Crucifix , Cross , Christ , Jesus
Alternative Title
Abstract
Vespasiano Genuino's crucifix in the Church of Santa Maria della Grazia is noted for its realism. Christ's skin is pale, the same colour as his loincloth, which is made out of the same wood material as the rest of the sculpture.This is unusual, since the loincloth is often made of draped cloth dipped in plaster that is then decoratively painted.As a result, the loincloth is barely a visual focal point of the sculpture. (The coloring of the flesh and loincloth may be a result of a conservation issue, but regardless of the original coloring, the focus here is clearly on the suffering body, rather than a flourish of drapery. Although Genuino has paid attention to the musculature of the torso, the transition between the ribcage and abdomen is clearly inaccurate. The realism of the crucifix instead comes through in the rendering of Christ's raw wounds and his unusually expressive face, which grounds the motif of Christ's suffering in his corporeal pain. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Description
Santa Maria della Grazia, Lecce
Citation
"Genuino, Vespasiano". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Volume 53 (2000). Accessed: 5 Aug. 2020. Treccani. http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/vespasiano-genuino_%28Dizionario-Biografico%29/