CHRIST ON A CROSS SPAIN, NORTHERN CATALONIA FIRST... Lot 12

CHRIST ON A CROSS SPAIN, NORTHERN CATALONIA FIRST HALF OF THE 13th CENTURY Polychromed coniferous wood Original polychromy present throughout the body H. 181 cm, L. 179 cm Rare example of a Christ whose style marks the transition between the Triumphans and the Patiens type at the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century in the high Catalan valleys. The Christ leaves the frontal position, with his head vertical and his arms horizontal, to turn and incline his head to the right, with his eyes half closed and his arms slightly raised. The face represented is rather that of a calm Christ with a half-opened mouth. His hair falling in wide locks joins a beard with parallel stripes well underlined. The crown of thorns, which is still present, is formed by two interlaced rushes. A small trace of blood appears on the temple. The anatomy is moving away from the Byzantine canons but retains the sternal striations. After the long tunic or colobium of the majestas, Christ adopts the perizonium which becomes progressively asymmetrical and here uncovers the right knee. It has curved folds on its left side and ends with a small flap. It is bordered by a painted decoration of three lines: red, black and gold. The legs are crossed and the feet are crossed again, a position already found in the Christ of the Descent from the Cross of Täull in Vall de Boi, in the last quarter of the 12th century. The geometric stylisation of its anatomy and face brings this Christ closer to several woodcarvings, kept in the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona , most of them from the north of the provinces of Lleida or Girona