Antique 16th Century Renaissance Gilt Bronze Corpus Christi Cristo Morto AFTER A MODEL BY GUGLIELMO DELLA PORTA

This is an antique Corpus Christi "Cristo Morto" from the late 16th century Renaissance period. It was made after a model by Guglielmo Della Porta. 

The sculpture is of excellent quality fire-gilded bronze, finely cast with a hollow back and pierced with nail holes, then hand-finished with an artist's tools and gilded. It is believed to have been cast from a wax model. 

The sculpture is a stunning portrayal of Christ. His long, curly hair cascades down his right shoulder, framing his face. The subtle details of his muscular torso bent in a pose of quiet dignity are beautifully captured. His feet are superimposed on each other. He is shown wearing a perizonium, which drapes gracefully across his body. Christ's arms are slightly raised, with his fingers curled gently. The sculpture is a remarkable expression of faith, skillfully crafted with attention to detail and a deep reverence for its subject.

The sculpture's details, including the muscular torso, arms, hands, fingers, legs, toes, head, long curly hair, unruly tufts of beard, and perizonium, have been skillfully hand chased. The gilding was applied using sheets of gold leaf after the bronze surface was "quickened" or "amalgamated" with mercury.

DIMENSIONS:

From feet to hands: 19 cm (7.48 inches).

From hand to hand: 16 cm (6.3 inches).

CONDITION: The statue is in good condition and has not undergone any repairs, nor does it have any cracks or bends. However, the gilding on the statue has worn off over time due to centuries of dusting and the faithful touching and kissing the statue during prayer, which is customary among devoted Catholic believers. As a result, the rubbed areas on the statue now show a dark reddish-brown patina.

We will provide the buyer with a certificate of authenticity.

For related Corpus Christi, please see the link below:

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/old-master-sculpture-works-of-art/after-a-model-by-guglielmo-della-porta-circa-1500

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19587/lot/91/