A nude wood-carved German crucifix

A rare nude wood-carved German crucifix
Probably Tyrol, Germany; ca. 1600-50

Approximate size: 32 cm

The present crucifix is a rare example of Christ carved in-the-nude. Post-Reform sentiments would’ve been against such portrayals of Christ and examples of this kind are scarcely found.

The stylistic character of this corpus with its narrow face, bulbous toes and facial features along with its elongated limbs point to a possible origin in Tyrol around the year 1600 or during the first half of the 17th century. The care given to the sculpted physique is impressive and indicates the work of a skilled carver.

Another example of a nude Germanic corpus of similar scale and time-frame can be observed in Georg Schweigger’s nude crucifix (with removable perizonium) kept at the Kunsthistorisches (Inv. 9893).

Condition: Lacking arms and some minor losses to the crown-of-thorns. A rugged texture is present on Christ’s face due to the stripping of its original polychromy. Minor stress cracks associated with age.

From a private mid-20th century South German collection.