Infant Jesus of the Globe. Ivory. Hispano-Philippine School, 17th century. The Christ Child, carved from polychrome ivory in certain areas, rests on a carved and gilded wooden base. The base features pronounced curves and movement, and a carefully crafted decoration of plant motifs. Iconographically, this figure of the Christ Child standing, holding the Orb of Creation in one hand and blessing with the other, is known as the "Child with the Orb," and it has a strong connection to the Salvator Mundi, known from paintings such as Leonardo da Vinci's, but already quite common by the end of the European Middle Ages (the adult Salvator Mundi appeared in Northern Europe in the second half of the 14th century). This particular piece reflects the popularization of numerous iconographies of the Christ Child during the Baroque period. Nudity is common in this type of sculpture, as these works were intended to be clothed and adorned with velvets, silks, embroidery, silver, and so on. Aesthetically, it is related to examples of the 17th-century Spanish Baroque school. Note the hairstyle, which has a slight resemblance to the works of Martínez Montañés, to name one. Compare, for example, with the Children preserved in the "Ivory Room" of the Museum of Mexican History in Monterrey (Nuevo León, Mexico), or with the 17th-century Filipino ivory Child Jesus in the Museum of the Americas in Madrid, or the 18th-century Hispano-Filipino Child Jesus from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, housed in the Middlebury College Museum of Art (Vermont, United States). Religious carvings made of ivory were doubly valued for the prestige and richness of the material and for their subject matter in an era like the Baroque, which, like all periods, was focused on the defense of Catholicism in some areas and eager to display power and influence. In this particular case, the "exotic" factor must also be considered, as it is a Hispano-Philippine piece: alongside the Peninsular influence, it is possible to see the "touch" of Filipino artists (Chinese settled in the islands, local artists, etc.) in these works, with their somewhat slanted eyes, prominent eyelids, and other features. While these sculptures were sometimes made and commissioned for private chapels of the upper classes of the time, it is common for them to have been preserved in important religious centers, where they were found as donations. It has CITES certification. Valid for the European Union.
· Size: 11x11x29 cms. Altura ni±o 20 cms.
ANTIQUES
SCULPTURE
Ref.: ZF0601
