Large Carved Wooden Bas-relief, 17th Century, The Baptism Of Christ By Jean-baptiste

The Large 17th-century carved wooden bas-relief depicts a key moment in Christian history: the baptism of Jesus Christ. At the age of 30, Jesus, still known as a Nazarene carpenter and the son of Joseph, went to the Jordan River to receive baptism from John the Baptist. This bas-relief illustrates this biblical scene with meticulous attention to detail and an expressiveness typical of the sacred art of the time. The imposing dimensions of the work, measuring 96.5 cm in height and 79 cm in width, reinforce the visual and spiritual impact of the scene. Wood, the preferred material at the time for religious sculpture, is worked here with great mastery, demonstrating the virtuosity of 17th-century artists in the art of bas-relief. This type of sculpture, which consists of sculpting shapes in slight relief relative to their background, creates an effect of depth while maintaining a flat appearance. Here, the composition seems to play on the dynamics between the characters and their environment. The central scene, the baptism, is dominated by the figures of Jesus and John the Baptist. Jesus is usually depicted standing in the water of the Jordan, dressed in a simple tunic or sometimes almost naked, symbolizing his purity and humility. The carved wood subtly captures the features of Christ, who expresses both great serenity and an awareness of the spiritual importance of the act he is performing. John the Baptist, dressed in his traditional camel skin tunic, bows his head in reverence while pouring water over Christ using a shell or simply his hands. The natural context of the scene, the Jordan River, is also represented through details of the relief, such as the ripples of the water or the surrounding vegetation. These elements, although stylized, participate in the symbolic construction of the scene, recalling the mystical nature of this moment in the life of Jesus. Above the main scene, the sky may be represented with the appearance of the dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit, which descends to signify divine approval of the act. The heavenly light could also be symbolized by rays or clouds sculpted in the upper part of the bas-relief. The expressions of the figures and the arrangement of the scene are characteristic of 17th-century religious art, a period in which emotion and spirituality were emphasized by dramatic forms and compositions. The style of this period tended to favor the intensity of feeling and the theatricality of biblical scenes, often to touch the viewer and strengthen their faith. This bas-relief is no exception: every detail, from the treatment of the draperies to the expressions of the faces, seems designed to invite meditation and wonder before this founding scene of the Christian tradition. This item is available for sale in my shop at 57 rue Victor Hugo, 76000 Rouen Possibility of delivery (ask for a transport quote) You can follow me on my Instagram by following this link: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.boussougant/ Back to the shop: Online sale of antique objects and furniture, purchase in complete security (abnantiquites.com)