Italian ivory, tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl Crucifix, 17th century

Height x width: 75 x 33 cm. Height x width Christ: 27.5 x 19.5 cm. Total weight: 2000 g. - Estimated ivory weight: 250 g.

carved elephant ivory Corpus Christi (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 or Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797), placed on a wooden cross veneered with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell (hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, Cheloniidae).
The figure of the Saviour is studied anatomically; the hands are slightly ajar and the nail holes are located closer to the wrist and not in the centre of the hand. The head has the crown of thorns and is folded towards the right shoulder, facing upwards; the soft hair falls to the shoulders, the eyes are open and turned towards heaven and the mouth is half - closed. The legs of the crucifix are positioned parallel, the feet are overlapped and nailed together. The private parts are covered by a loincloth with a side drape.
Also made of elephant ivory are the cartouche with the Titulus Crucis I.N.R.I. at the upper part of the cross, and at the lower part the symbol of the skull with crossed shinbones to show the transience of life, the futility of pleasure and the certainty of death.

This lot is accompanied by CITES certificate, expertise issued by the Ce.S.Ar. Centro Studi Archeometrici, and is only available for sale with shipments within the European Community.