Gothic Crucifix - Wood - 1450-1500, 1500-1550 - Corpus Christi, 15th–16th centuries

Sacred devotional sculpture Corpus Christi
• Subject: Painful crucified Christ
• Era/Dating: Late 15th century – early 16th century (full Late Gothic period with transitional elements to the early Renaissance)
• Geographical scope: School of Northern Italy / Alpine or Veneto-Friulian area (with evident transalpine stylistic features in the chest carving)

2. PHYSICAL AND METRIC DATA

• Maximum height: 49 cm
• Total weight: 755 grams
• State of conservation: Fragmentary (mutilated arms of the original). The body and extremities are almost entirely preserved.

3. ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS AND ANCIENT CARPENTRY

• Wood species: Soft light-fiber wood, compatible with poplar or lime. The weight 755 g for 49 cm.
• Backworking: Flattened trunk and partially gouged out (manually hollowed with a gouge) to lighten the piece and prevent cracking. At the center of the pelvis is the original mounting hole for affixing to the cross.
• Arm joint system: Absence of traumatic fractures on the back. The work preserves intact the ingenious original workshop carpentry: two specular grooves with angular geometric tenons (male-female prism joints). The angular cut prevented rotation of the arms under tension.

4. SURFACE AND POLYCHROMY ANALYSIS

• Preparatory layer: The surface was originally covered by a solid preparation of plaster and animal glue (gessoed), partially fallen or abraded due to time. The remaining layer appears compact.
• Historic patina:
• Hair and beard: Residues of dark brown-black pigmentation densely laid in the crevices of the carving.
• Wounds of the Side: Presence of original red polychromy traces (cinnabar/ancient ochre) as well as the wounds of the Feet: vertical drip of original red paint to simulate blood at the lower fixation point.

5. ICONOGRAPHIC AND STYLISTIC ANALYSIS

• Facial morphology: Strong medieval expressive pathos. Head inclined, eyes closed, sharp features, geometric and straight nose. The beard is rendered rigidly with vertical and parallel grooves ("in threads").
• Thoracic anatomy: Dry and slender rib cage with strong expressive connotation, carved with clear stepped grooves, typical of the Alpine schools’ dramatic style.
• Perizonium: Drapery with tight, parallel horizontal folds that frame the hips, gathered on the left side in a compact sac-like knot from which hangs a vertical leg of fabric.
• Lower extremities (Feet): Parallel legs with separate, independent feet, originally affixed by two distinct metal nails. The stump of the lower nail and the housing hole for the second nail preserved. The toes of the upper foot (right) are completely intact and individually carved with geometric lines. The only structural missing part of the extremity is the big toe of the left foot (lower), broken in antiquity, revealing the light inner fiber.

6. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION STATE

• Wood-boring insect infestation: Widespread presence of beetle exit holes (anobiids). The infestation is fully old and inactive. Internal galleries have partially lightened the deep wood structure (tree-nut phenomenon), but the external surface protected by plaster remains solid.

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