In this work we see a compendium of some of the distinctive materials in the use of which Sicily excelled between the 17th and 18th centuries, adopted in the radiant and luxurious manner that characterized the style of local artisans and ensured its renown. e ends of the cross present a distinctive ornamentation: cartouches with ivory cherubs accompanied by mother of pearl leaves on which rest little curlicues carved in coral. e technique and style are characteristic of a large number of known artifacts ranging from household furnishings, especially frames, to various types of devotional works.
Equally typical are the plaques of Sicilian red jasper, an eminently local precious material, that in our work mirror the colouring of the coral. Also characteristic of the local decorative arts are the carvings in mother of pearl, o en in the form of cameo medallions like that seen here, depicting Christ carrying the cross. Finally, the airy interlacing of scrolls on the base has parallels in Sicily both in wooden works and stone sculptures supported by bases composed of freely styled curled leaves. Pieces with these features are usually attributed to master craftsmen from Trapani, but it is possible that other towns on the island, especially Palermo, also made their contribution. The long tradition of those workshops is expressed here not just in the ornamentation but also in the skillful depiction of Christ, carved in ivory and reminiscent of works attributable to the workshop of the Tipa, a family of Trapani carvers well known from the sources and documented or certain works. The figure represented here is that of the so-called Dead Christ, and resembles the prototype designed by Giovan Lorenzo Bernini for the crucifixes in the chapels of St Peter’s in around 1685. Particularly similar to this poignant figure of the Saviour in the abandonment of ath is the gure sculpted by Andrea Tipa as the focal point of an alabaster group with the Calvary.
In this work we see a compendium of some of the distinctive materials in the use of which Sicily excelled between the 17th and 18th centuries, adopted in the radiant and luxurious manner that characterized the style of local artisans and ensured its renown. e ends of the cross present a distinctive ornamentation: cartouches with ivory cherubs accompanied by mother of pearl leaves on which rest little curlicues carved in coral. e technique and style are characteristic of a large number of known artifacts ranging from household furnishings, especially frames, to various types of devotional works.
Equally typical are the plaques of Sicilian red jasper, an eminently local precious material, that in our work mirror the colouring of the coral. Also characteristic of the local decorative arts are the carvings in mother of pearl, o en in the form of cameo medallions like that seen here, depicting Christ carrying the cross. Finally, the airy interlacing of scrolls on the base has parallels in Sicily both in wooden works and stone sculptures supported by bases composed of freely styled curled leaves. Pieces with these features are usually attributed to master craftsmen from Trapani, but it is possible that other towns on the island, especially Palermo, also made their contribution. The long tradition of those workshops is expressed here not just in the ornamentation but also in the skillful depiction of Christ, carved in ivory and reminiscent of works attributable to the workshop of the Tipa, a family of Trapani carvers well known from the sources and documented or certain works. The figure represented here is that of the so-called Dead Christ, and resembles the prototype designed by Giovan Lorenzo Bernini for the crucifixes in the chapels of St Peter’s in around 1685. Particularly similar to this poignant figure of the Saviour in the abandonment of ath is the gure sculpted by Andrea Tipa as the focal point of an alabaster group with the Calvary.
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