A C15th Polychrome Crucifix figure of Christ, Low Countries

A POLYCHROME WOODEN CORPUS OF CHRIST
Low Countries (or Northern Europe), 15th Century

A carved Gothic wooden corpus of Christ, originally part of a larger crucifix, retaining significant traces of its early polychrome. Depicted with the head gently inclined and the legs crossed in the late-medieval manner, the figure displays the expressive modelling and devotional intensity characteristic of 15th-century Northern European craftsmanship.

The corpus survives as a fragment: both arms now lost, with wear and age commensurate with its period, including small areas of inert historic worming and natural age-related fissures to the wood. Nonetheless, the facial features, torso, drapery folds of the perizoma, and overall silhouette remain strong and evocative.

24cm in height
Housed in a custom-made presentation box with ribbon.

Polychrome crucifix figures of the 15th century represent a key development in medieval religious art, in which sculptors moved beyond simple carving to create emotionally charged, painted figures intended to heighten devotional engagement. The surviving pigments on this example offer a compelling glimpse of its original liturgical presence and medieval aesthetic.