Italian school; XVIII century.

Italian school; XVIII century.
"Expiring Christ".
Silver.
Measurements: 52 x 31 x 7 cm.
This expiring Christ, made in silver and attributed to the Italian School of the XVII century, is a work of extraordinary quality both in its technical execution and in its expressive charge. It represents the culminating moment of Christ's Passion, with his exhausted body, his arms open in a tense diagonal and his face inclined in a last gesture of suffering and surrender. The sculpture stands out for its dramatism, characteristic of the Baroque, where the representation of pain and spirituality sought to move the viewer and reinforce his devotion.
The anatomical modeling is of remarkable precision, with a detailed study of the musculature and the tension of the skin, which highlights the realism of Christ's suffering on the cross. The treatment of the polished silver amplifies the luminous effects on the surface, generating hallmarks that accentuate the expressiveness of the naked torso and the drama of the folds of the cloth of purity, meticulously worked with dynamic undulations that bring movement to the composition.
The Italian School of the 17th century was distinguished by its mastery in religious sculpture, which combined the influence of Renaissance classicism with the theatricality of the Baroque. In this context, the representation of expiring Christs reached a high degree of technical and expressive perfection, becoming a widely spread model in Europe. These sculptures, often made of precious materials such as silver, were usually destined for private oratories, aristocratic chapels or solemn processions, reinforcing their function as objects of worship and devotion.
The present work not only evidences the sculptor's skill in the manipulation of metal, but also his ability to convey a deep emotional charge. The subtlety of the details, from the curls of the hair to the contraction of the muscles, makes this expiring Christ an exceptional testimony of Italian Baroque sacred art.