18th Century Baroque Carved & Polychrome Corpus Christi — Body of Christ

A carved wooden corpus Christi in the Central European Baroque manner, the body rendered with the elongated, dramatically arched torso and outstretched arms typical of 18th-century crucifix figures. The flesh is finished in a pale ivory-white polychrome over gesso, with modeled musculature, articulated rib cage, and traces of red pigment marking the wounds at the side, hands, and feet. The carved hair falls in dark curls to the shoulders and frames a downturned head crowned with a separately applied twisted thorn wreath. A silver-leafed loincloth knots at the hip and flares in deep, wind-caught folds, with a gilded burst of rays fitted behind the neck.

The reverse retains areas of exposed yellow bole beneath losses to the silver leaf on the drapery, revealing the traditional water-gilding ground. Both hands remain open in the gesture of receiving the nails, and the crossed feet are pierced for attachment to a cross, now absent. This is the corpus alone, separated from its original crucifix mount — a devotional carving intended for a church or domestic altar.

CONDITION

Good with age-appropriate wear. Several elements are absent or broken, including a chipped finger and losses to the fingers of both hands; the crown of thorns is fragmentary and partly displaced. Finish shows scattered flaking, abrasion, and losses to the polychrome and silver/gilt leaf, with exposed bole and gesso in areas. Surface accretions and old handling wear throughout. The cross is not present.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• 13" H × 9.5" W × 2" D
• Carved wood, gesso, polychrome, silver and gold leaf
• Unmarked
• Corpus only — cross not included