Child with a skull (The Christ Child)
Statuette
ca. 1650-1700 (made)
ca. 1650-1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Christ child sleeping on a skull suggests Christ's triumph over death, as well as foreshadowing the Passion; such images were objects of pious meditation in Spain during the 17th century. Many still survive in convents and monasteries.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Child with a skull (The Christ Child) (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | polychromed and gilt limewood or poplar |
| Brief description | Statuette, Child with a skull (The Christ Child); Wood painted Spanish Castile Valladolid? 1650-1700 |
| Physical description | Statuette of a child with a skull. The figure lies naked, resting his head on both hands, the right crossed over the left, and with his left leg bent back under his right. The head is disproportionately large for the body, which is comparatively slender. The hair is tightly curled, and the mouth half-open, with the teeth visible. Although the child is shown asleep, the facial expression is half-smiling. The skull on which he rests is much larger than his own head. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The Christ child sleeping on a skull suggests Christ's triumph over death, as well as foreshadowing the Passion; such images were objects of pious meditation in Spain during the 17th century. Many still survive in convents and monasteries. |
| Bibliographic reference | Trusted, Marjorie. Spanish Sculpture : Catalogue of the Post-Medieval Spanish Sculpture in Wood, Terracotta, Alabaster, Marble, Stone, Lead and Jet in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. pp. 62-63. cat. no. 23. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.103-1929 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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