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The Christ from 1147
Artist	Unknown
Medium	sculpture in wood with traces of polychrome
Dimensions	118 cm × 118 cm (46 in × 46 in)
Location	Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

The Christ from 1147 is a Catalan wood sculpture from the 12th-century, exhibited at the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona.

Description

Within the Romanesque sculpture on wood carving of Catalonia, this is an exceptional item as it can be precisely dated, something that only happens in two other works.

In a restoration undertaken in 1952, a cavity was discovered behind the figure of Christ which contained various relics wrapped in Hispano-Muslim fabrics and some parchments. One of these parchments contained an inscription stating the work was consecrated in 1147, from which the sculpture takes its name. Another parchment mentioned the acknowledgement of the relics in 1521, which shows that the item was still in use after the Middle Ages and that it was remodelled at that time. The piece is valuable since it can be used to date similar works, and it also reminds us that some carvings were also used as reliquaries.

Unlike the Maiestàs (or Christ triumphant), The Christ from 1147 is an example of the Suffering Christ (Christus Patiens), depicted half naked, dressed only in a short loincloth, or perizonium, and with his arms noticeably bent. Although it is a reference to the redemptive death of Christ, it dwells more on the aspect of suffering, on the death of Christ the man. The hard facial features help to stress this aspect, as does the treatment of the anatomy. Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that the work has lost practically all its polychrome, so that its present appearance is very different from the original. The Catalan region has numerous examples of this typology, and of Romanesque in general. Amongst the main precedents is the Christ from Gero, kept in Cologne and dated between 960 and 980.

References

1. Guia del Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.p. 25. MNAC, 2004. ISBN 84-8043-136-9
2. The artwork at MNAC's Website

Further reading

• Castiñeiras, Manuel; Camps, Jordi (2008). Romanesque art in the MNAC collections. MNAC. ISBN 978-84-8043-196-5. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
• Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. MNAC. 1 March 2009. ISBN 978-84-8043-200-9. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
• Carbonell, Eduard; Pagès, Montserrat; Camps, Jordi; Marot, Teresa (1998). Romanesque Art Guide: Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. ISBN 9788480430395. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
• Carbonell, Eduard; Sureda i Pons, Joan (1997). The Medieval Treasures of the Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. Lunwerg. Retrieved 3 September 2012.

External links

• The artwork at Museum's website

v t e Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Romanesque works	Altar frontal from La Seu d'Urgell or of The Apostles Southern apse from Pedret Apse of Santa Maria Àneu Apse of Sant Climent de Taüll Erill la Vall Descent from the Cross Batlló Majesty Altar frontal from Avià Paintings from Arlanza The Christ from 1147 Virgin from Ger
Gothic works	Mural paintings of the conquest of Majorca Head of Christ Virgin of the Angels Altarpiece of Saint Barbara Nativity and Saint John the Evangelist Altarpiece of the Saints John Virgin of the Consellers Saint Augustine Altarpiece Resurrection of Christ
Renaissance and Baroque works	Saint Candidus Jean-Claude Richard, abbé of Saint-Non Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel Saint Peter and Saint Paul Madonna of Humility Immaculate Conception Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew Saint Paul Saint Agnes
Modern works	The Odalisque The Spanish Wedding Desolation Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem Confidant from the Batlló House Terraced Village Paloma Cala Forn Portrait of My Father Woman in Hat and Fur Collar Raised left hand Still life II The Corpus Christi Procession Leaving the Church of Santa Maria del Mar A Romance
See also	List of artists from the MNAC collection Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

• 12th-century sculptures
• Sculptures in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
• Sculptures of the Crucifixion of Jesus
• Romanesque sculptures
• Wooden sculptures