Crucifix

Abstract

Located in the church of Santa Maria da Pugliano is a black crucifix. Made in the 13th century, the sculpture appears to be over life-size. Christ’s body and the cross are painted in black. The loincloth and halo are gilded. Above the halo is the monogram I.H.S., which symbolizes Jesus Christ. This crucifix was painted in black to mimic bronze. Bronze was a prized but expensive material, and painting a sculpture in faux bronze would capture both bronze’s appearance and richness while keeping its cost low. It is unknown when the sculpture was painted black, but a 19th-century source also points to this crucifix as being a notable devotional object for the faithful. Repainting the image may have adhered to the changing tastes of the faithful. The sculpture is in good condition; there is no apparent damage to Christ’s body. However, some of the protruding folds of the loincloth show some paint that has faded. This may be due to the faithful touching the sculpture as a way to establish a rapport with the holy statue. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.