A CARVED WALNUT WOOD FIGURE OF CRUCIFIED CHRIST NORTHERN SPAIN, 13TH CENTURY |

powerfully and expressively carved, the figure of Christ poignantly portrayed with a saddened expression accentuated with furrowed eyebrows and a closing heavy downcast gaze, framed by a well-carved beard and rope-twist crown, the bare upper torso rendered emaciated with pronounced ribs and a concave chest, further rendered dressed in a knee-length cloth with a thick twisted band around the hips, the garment falling in voluminous folds over the slender legs

A private collection, Paris.
A European collection.

Due to the age of the piece and the fragility of the material, there are losses, notably to the feet. The arms were carved separately and are now lost. Otherwise the condition of the wood is stable, with further wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is evidence of past worming to the surface throughout, having led to some more minor losses, notably to the high points of the loin cloth, the shoulders, and the hair on the proper right side. There is stable splitting to the wood, consistent with the material, notably open splits to the chest and abdomen. A further split to the proper right leg appears to have been stabilised with some filling material. There are carved indentations to the shoulders at the back where the arms would have been attached; several corroded metal dowels remain in place. There is also a metal loop at the back. A few minor remnants of former polychromy are visible in areas, notably at the underside of the loincloth. It is possible that there is some re-carving to the face.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This serene figure of the crucified Christ is part of a number of remarkable surviving medieval corpora dating from the late twelfth to the thirteenth century from the region North and South of the Pyrenees. Romanesque art in southern France and northern Spain thrived during this period, the art in the North of Spain being heavily influenced by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, who brought new styles of sculpture and architecture with them on their way. Crucifixion groups would normally be placed in the apse of a Romanesque church, many of which still survive in situ in these regions. Particularly, Catalan churches, such as those in the Unesco Heritage site of the Vall de Boí, are of outstanding quality, and it is in these rural churches that the largest concentration of Romanesque sculpture in Europe can still be found.  With its elongated features, crossed feet and stylised ribcage, the present figure compares particularly to a Christ figure from a Descent from the Cross group, formerly in the parish Church of Santa Maria de Taüll, now in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona. Features such as the long perezonium with a broad belt at the hip and sharp, pointed folds falling on three sides compare closely. It is likely that the present figure of Christ would have originally been part of a larger group of the Crucifixion. Further comparisons are evident with another Descent from the Cross in the Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses in Catalonia, and the so-called Christ from 1147, also in the Barcelona Museum, an earlier and uniquely dated example, which does not yet feature the crossed feet, but is similar in the stylised facial features, long perezonium and protruding ribcage.

Due to their almost abstract forms and clean, geometrical shapes, these Romanesque works resonate with the collector of modern art and can make a powerful visual statement in a modern environment. The popularity of these types of crucifixes and corpora in the current market can be attested by the recent sale of a slightly later Spanish Crucifix sold in our New York rooms, 2nd February 2018, for $43,750 and the result for an exceptional life-size Corpus sold in our London rooms in 2014 for £278,500.

Carved in walnut, the present figure of Christ evokes a natural calm. His face, which looks up, indicating he is still living, is finely carved, his heavy-lidded eyes and downturned mouth adding to the introspective air of the statue. Depicting Christ in his final moments before death, this work was intended to show a more humane vision of Jesus, focusing on his human suffering, and remains a mesmerising and timeless image.