CEYLONESE, 17TH OR EARLY 18TH CENTURY

Details

A CARVED IVORY FIGURE OF CHRIST
Ceylonese, 17th or early 18th Century
Warm brown colour to the ivory; right arm lacking; drill holes to the feet and hand; two further drill holes to the back.
6¼ in. (15 cm.) high

Literature

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
M.M. Estella Marcos, Marfiles de las Provincias Ultramarinas Orientales de Espana y Portugal, Monterrey, 1997, nos. 104, 105, pp. 214-217.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The author of this figure demonstrates a thorough yet exaggerated understanding of anatomy with the soft and deep modelling of the sternum and rib cage. The torturously extended abdomen and the ribs protruding from the back coupled with the complex and stylised rendition of the hair and perizonium exemplify the artist's sophisticated approach to details. With the head dropped over the right shoulder and the closed eyes, the artist emphasises more than an image of the divine Christ, it is the image of a man, with the strained musculature of the arms and the emaciated legs.

More from Important Tapestries, European Furniture, Sculpture

View All