Italian school; early 17th century.

Italian school; early seventeenth century.
"Dead Christ".
Bronze.
Iron base of later period.
Measurements: 42 x 35 x 8 cm; 55 x 35 x 11 cm (base).
The polished finish of the material, the symmetry and the modeling of the forms that follow the classic canon of a balanced and idealized anatomy, form an image that, in spite of the dramatism contained in the theme of the crucifixion, transmits an immutable beauty that comes from the aesthetic serenity with which the sculptor has conceived the work. As for the sculpture, in this case we observe how the artist uses only three nails, thus accentuating the drama of the scene, which is enhanced by the elongation of the upper extremities that reflect how Christ supports the entire load of his body, with his face downward, exhausted, and his eyes closed, indicating his death. Stylistically, a great interest and influence of classical statuary that can be seen in the presence of an idealized anatomy, the drapery and the curvature adopted by the body with the legs bent to the right, which slightly shift the hips, reminiscent in some ways of the Praxitelic curve.
Crucifixions and crucifixes have appeared in the history of art and popular culture since before the era of the pagan Roman Empire. The crucifixion of Jesus has been depicted in religious art since the 4th century. It is one of the most recurrent themes in Christian art and the one with the most obvious iconography. Although Christ is sometimes depicted clothed, it is usual to represent his naked body, albeit with the genitals covered with a purity cloth (perizonium); full nudes are very rare, but prominent (Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Cellini). The conventions of representation of the different attitudes of the crucified Christ are designated by the Latin expressions Christus triumphans ("triumphant" -not to be confused with the Maiestas Domini or the Pantocrator-), Christus patiens ("resigned" -not to be confused with the Christ of patience-) and Christus dolens ("suffering" -not to be confused with the Vir dolorum-). The triumphans is represented alive, with open eyes and erect body; the patiens is represented dead, with the will totally emptied (kenosis), the head bowed, the face with serene expression, the eyes closed and the body arched, showing the five wounds; the dolens is represented in a similar way to the patiens, but with a gesture of pain, particularly in the mouth.