Sto. Cristo Expirante
Sto. Cristo Expirante / Expiring Christ
Attributed to Leoncio Asuncion (1813 - 1888)
19th Century
Ivory and polychromy.
Silver gilt metal Perizonium or "Tapis"
H. 29 cm or 13.2 in
W. 0.389 kg
A free standing sculpture (meaning its cross has been lost over time) with his head tilted up. The scalp is polychromied to simulate hair. The eyes are raised upward with their pupils turned to heaven in a sorrowful but resigned expression. His mouth is parted open with teeth showing through the lips. The anatomy is well conceived, with the shoulders cut in the same plane as the torso to facilitated the junction of the arms.
On its narrow hips is wrapped a silver loincloth (the "tapis") decorated in "puk-puk" ysot stye with flower motifs in raised relief consistent with Filipino rendering of similar silver art pieces. The legs are also finely carved. The progressive, western influence of the 19th century is palpable in this example. And this sculpture could be considered a prototype of the international style. Unfortunately, this also makes it difficut to definitely attribute it to a particular school. However, the details very much recall the style of carving attributed to the Filipino sculptor Leoncio Asuncion.
Published in: Estella, M. M. (1997). Marfiles de las provincias ultramarinas orientales de Espana y Portugal (Ivories from the overseas oriental provinces of Spain and Portugal). Espejo Obsidiana: Monterrey, Mexico. pp. 54-55.
Sto. Cristo Expirante
Sto. Cristo Expirante / Expiring Christ
Attributed to Leoncio Asuncion (1813 - 1888)
19th Century
Ivory and polychromy.
Silver gilt metal Perizonium or "Tapis"
H. 29 cm or 13.2 in
W. 0.389 kg
A free standing sculpture (meaning its cross has been lost over time) with his head tilted up. The scalp is polychromied to simulate hair. The eyes are raised upward with their pupils turned to heaven in a sorrowful but resigned expression. His mouth is parted open with teeth showing through the lips. The anatomy is well conceived, with the shoulders cut in the same plane as the torso to facilitated the junction of the arms.
On its narrow hips is wrapped a silver loincloth (the "tapis") decorated in "puk-puk" ysot stye with flower motifs in raised relief consistent with Filipino rendering of similar silver art pieces. The legs are also finely carved. The progressive, western influence of the 19th century is palpable in this example. And this sculpture could be considered a prototype of the international style. Unfortunately, this also makes it difficut to definitely attribute it to a particular school. However, the details very much recall the style of carving attributed to the Filipino sculptor Leoncio Asuncion.
Published in: Estella, M. M. (1997). Marfiles de las provincias ultramarinas orientales de Espana y Portugal (Ivories from the overseas oriental provinces of Spain and Portugal). Espejo Obsidiana: Monterrey, Mexico. pp. 54-55.