Crucifix (smaller version of Giovanni Teutonico)

Abstract

This crucifix in Santi Faustino e Giovita in Viterbo can be attributed on the basis of style to a Northern artist active in central Italy in this period known as Giovanni Teutonico. It is one of two very similar crucifixes in the same church, both exhibiting the same lean musculature, x-shaped loincloth, corkscrew curls, abundant three-dimensional blood pouring from the wounds, and protruding veins (probably produced by laying blue cords in the gesso that was applied over the wooden substrate, before the paint was added to the surface to create the illusion of flesh). The only difference is that the other crucifix, like almost all crucifixes attributed to Giovanni Teutonico, is approximately life-sized, whereas this crucifix is much smaller and therefore was probably made to be taken on procession. The smaller crucifix comes from the Church of San Giovanni Decollato in Viterbo, and perhaps the other one does as well. Like the larger version in the same church, this crucifix has been badly damaged by wood-boring insects and perhaps also by devotional touch during processions: dotted with holes throughout, parts of the hands and part of the toes have broken off. This crucifix may have been made for the Compagnia di San Giovanni Decollato, a confraternity that had an oratory in that church, which contained a crucifix. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.