A 19th century Spanish capipote figure of the Salvator Mundi, carved in wood, built up with stucco, and finished in polychrome that has mellowed beautifully with time. Notice the proportions. The torso is elongated, the stance slightly improbable, the whole body just a touch off.
These santos figures were meant to be dressed in elaborate garments, with only the face, hands, and feet revealed to the faithful. The sculptor knew this. The anatomy was engineered for fabric, not for anatomy textbooks. Strip away the vestments and you are left with this wonderfully idiosyncratic silhouette.
The sulphide glass eyes give the face an intensity that contrasts beautifully with the exaggerated body beneath. There is tenderness in the modeling of the cheeks, a seriousness in the gaze, and the faintest suggestion of humanity in the slightly imperfect finish.
Standing just under twenty inches tall at 19.5 inches high, and measuring approximately 6.3 inches wide by 4.75 inches deep, he has presence without overwhelming a room.
A 19th century Spanish capipote figure of the Salvator Mundi, carved in wood, built up with stucco, and finished in polychrome that has mellowed beautifully with time. Notice the proportions. The torso is elongated, the stance slightly improbable, the whole body just a touch off.
These santos figures were meant to be dressed in elaborate garments, with only the face, hands, and feet revealed to the faithful. The sculptor knew this. The anatomy was engineered for fabric, not for anatomy textbooks. Strip away the vestments and you are left with this wonderfully idiosyncratic silhouette.
The sulphide glass eyes give the face an intensity that contrasts beautifully with the exaggerated body beneath. There is tenderness in the modeling of the cheeks, a seriousness in the gaze, and the faintest suggestion of humanity in the slightly imperfect finish.
Standing just under twenty inches tall at 19.5 inches high, and measuring approximately 6.3 inches wide by 4.75 inches deep, he has presence without overwhelming a room.
