CHILD JESUS SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, HISPANO-PHILIPPINE. IVORY. 17TH CENTURY.

Infant Jesus of the Ball. Ivory. Hispano-Philippine School, 17th century. Infant Jesus made of carved ivory, polychrome in some specific areas and placed on a carved and gilded wooden base. It has very pronounced curves and movement, and a very studied decoration based on plant elements. Iconographically, this figure of the Infant Jesus standing, holding the Orb of Creation in one hand and blessing with the other, is known as the “Boy with the Ball”, and has a strong relationship with that of the Salvator Mundi, known among others for paintings such as that of Leonardo da Vinci but very common already in the late European Middle Ages (the adult Salvator Mundi would appear in northern Europe in the second half of the 14th century). The present piece responds to the popularization of a large number of iconographies of the Infant Jesus that occurred in the Baroque. Nudity is usual in this type of sculptures, as they are works conceived to be dressed and adorned with velvet, silk, embroidery, silver, etc. Aesthetically, it is related to examples from the 17th century Spanish Baroque school. Note the hairstyle, which is slightly reminiscent of the work of Martínez Montañés, to name one. Compare, for example, with the Children preserved in the “Sala Marfiles” of the Museum of Mexican History in Monterrey (Nuevo León, Mexico), or with the 17th century ivory Filipino Infant Jesus from the Museum of America in Madrid, or the 18th century Hispano-Filipino from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection preserved in the Middlebury College Museum of Art (Vermont, United States). Religious carvings made of ivory were doubly appreciated for the prestige and richness of the material and for their subject matter in an era like the Baroque, which was focused on the defence of Catholicism in some areas and was eager to show power and influence like all others. In this case, it is also necessary to take into account the “exotic” factor, as it is a Hispano-Filipino piece: along with the peninsular influence, it is possible to see the “touch” of the Filipino artists (Chinese settled in the islands, locals, etc.) in these works with somewhat slanted eyes, bulging eyelids, etc. Although they were sometimes made and commissioned for private chapels of the upper classes of the time, it is common for this type of sculpture to have been preserved in religious centres of great importance, where they have been found as donations. It has a CITES certificate. Valid for the European Union.

· Size: 11x11x29 cms. Altura niño 20 cms.