Christ on the Cross

c. 1740

Franz Ignaz Günther

Associated Names
Franz Ignaz Günther

Artist, German, 1725 - 1775

The sculpture depicts Jesus Christ crucified on a cross. The figure is in a traditional pose with arms outstretched and nailed to a dark brown or black cross. The material is painted to resemble natural human skin tones and textures, with details like hair and wounds marked with blood. Jesus wears a simple loincloth painted in a lighter color. Above his head is a plaque with the inscription "INRI" in black letters on a beige background. The sculpture is presented in a realistic style with detailed anatomical features and is mounted against a neutral background.

Media Options

Skip thumbnail navigation Back to thumbnail navigation
This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    polychromed and gilded linden (figure); stained fruitwood (cross)

  • Credit Line

    Patrons' Permanent Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall (height of figure): 67 cm (26 3/8 in.)
    overall (height of cross): 137 cm (53 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2006.70.2


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Possibly a monastery, Altötting, Germany. Private collection, Altötting; (anonymous dealer, Erharting, Germany);[1] (Dr. Rainer Jungbauer, Straubing, Germany); purchased 23 June 2006 by NGA.
[1] Provenance prior to NGA's purchase was supplied by Dr. Jungbauer in an e-mail of 11 March 2008 to Alison Luchs (in NGA curatorial files).

Associated Names

Bibliography

2007

  • Volk, Peter. "Kruzifixe von Ignaz Günther." Zeitschrift des Deutschen Vereins für Kunstwissenschaft 61 (2007): 108-110, fig. 24.

Wikidata ID

Q63863951

You may be interested in

Loading Results