Mary Magdalene
Sculpture
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Vir Dolorum
| Artist | |
|---|---|
| Date | ca. 1470 |
| Object type | sculpture |
| Medium, technique | terracotta, with small residues of paint |
| Dimensions | 96 × 50 × 27 cm |
| Inventory number | 51.937 |
| Collection | Sculpture |
| On view | This artwork is on view at the permanent exhibition |
Portrayed in three-quarter view, Christ seems to be rising out of a coffin. In view of its emphasis on the wounds, the Vir Dolorum, or Man of Sorrows, refers to Christ’s death on the cross, the victory over death, and the redemption of mankind. The terracotta statue was originally painted: on the red terracotta ground, the loin-cloth was painted blue, the flesh whitish grey, and the hair and the eyes were brown. Being composed for the main view and with a reverse side hollowed out, the statue once stood in a semi-circular niche. The type of the head and the anatomy of the hand and the body show clear affinities with Verrocchio’s early works. The Florentine master was an outstanding quattrocento painter, sculptor, and goldsmith, an innovative and experimenting artist, who studied in the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci. This exquisite work was once part of Ferenc Pulszky’s collection and was accompanied by two kneeling angels (currently held by the Toledo Museum of Art, United States); it was later shown that the three pieces did not originally belong together.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.