Not currently on display at the V&A

The Christ Child

Statuette
ca. 1700-ca. 1735 (made)
Artist/Maker
Risueño, José (circle of)
Place of origin
Granada (made)

The face is a hollow mask set into the head; the mouth is hollow, and the glass eyes have been set in from behind. All this leads to a greater sense of realism in the piece. The original design almost certainly included a lamb, and this figure is probably either the Christ Child or the Infant St John the Baptist.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Christianity
Religion
SCRAN
Object type
Statuette
Titles
  • The Christ Child (generic title)
  • The Infant St John the Baptist (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted pinewood with glass
Pinewood
Glass
Painting
Brief description
Statuette, painted pinewood and glass eyes, The Christ Child or the Infant St John the Baptist, by the circle of José Risueño, Spain (Granada), ca. 1700-1735
Physical description
Painted pinewood statuette with glass eyes depicting the Christ Child. The nude child figure stands with left leg raised on a rock. Weight is on right leg. The torso is twisted and arms placed across body and out to side of left hip. Head inclined to right with eyes cast downward. The base is carved to resemble rocks.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50cm
  • Width: 32cm
  • Depth: 41cm
  • Weight: 2.6kg
Object history
Bought from Soriano, Madrid, for £1 13s. 8d.
Historical context
A lamb may have been originally included with this figure. The twisting torso and facial features parallel the work of the Granada sculptor José Risueño.
Subjects depicted
Jesus Christ
John (Saint John the Baptist)
Summary
The face is a hollow mask set into the head; the mouth is hollow, and the glass eyes have been set in from behind. All this leads to a greater sense of realism in the piece. The original design almost certainly included a lamb, and this figure is probably either the Christ Child or the Infant St John the Baptist.
Bibliographic references
  • Trusted, Marjorie. Spanish Sculpture. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. 172 p., ill. ISBN 1851771778.
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1864 In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 70
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
104-1864

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Record createdNovember 13, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70068/the-christ-child-statuette-risueño-josé/
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