City - Olinda, Brazil. State - MUSEUM OF SACRED ART Country - Brazil
About
Christ of the Column, in the Museum of Sacred Art, in Olinda.
a fine exemple of the so-called "santos de roca" or "clothed saints", depicting some holy one, with only his head, hands and feet carved out of the wood. the whole body between the neck and the feet is a simple structure, many times articulated in order to change their pose and/or that they could be beared out of the church in processions. the body is covered by real dresses. the hair is usually taken from real people, the eyes are of glass, and the teeth are of ivory.
this one is unusual for his several attributes: he is bearing at the same time many symbols of his life and his martyrdom - a cross, a column, a model of a church at his feet, a holy Ghost, and so on. its pathetic expression appeals directly to the piety of the devotee. here also the Christ of the Column is wearing a princely tunic, mark of his royal nature, instead of the more common fashion when he is almost naked.
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