Blessing Christ
- Culture
- Spanish
- Date
- late 13th or early 14th century
- Material
- Painted wood
- possibly made in
- Burgos, Castilla-León region, Spain, Europe
- possibly made in
- León, Castilla-León region, Spain, Europe
- Classification
- Sculpture, wood
- Collection
- European Art to 1800
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 51 1/4 x 12 1/8 x 11 in. (130.2 x 30.8 x 27.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Museum Purchase by exchange
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 49:1939
NOTES
Blessing with its right hand and holding a book in its left, this figure is an image of Jesus as teacher. Perhaps it originally stood among a group of apostles, probably as the central image of a painted altarpiece. Such altarpieces often combined two- and three-dimensional forms, where the central carved figure was flanked by painted panels. The oversized head with enlarged and staring eyes were traditional features favored by early 14th-century Spanish carvers. The large hands and book serve to emphasize both the blessing and word of God.
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