Descent from the Cross
By Paul Lopez
Circle of Daniel Mauch (Germany, Swabia, Ulm, 1477-1540)
Germany, circa 1515 Sculpture Polychromed linden wood 70 × 45 × 10 in. (177.8 × 114.3 × 25.4 cm) The sculptor made this particular sculpture out of polychromed lindenwood. This was part of the late medieval German period when many of the sculptures were covered with different colors, a process that was often left to a painter. “The museum’s renowned collection of sculptures that are painted, or polychromed, heightens the visitor’s senses to the interaction of form and color” (Emerson, 112). The polychrome does allow for the object to be more vivid and allow the individual viewing it to really embrace the object’s purpose, which is to express the descent of Christ’s body from the cross. In the object you can see the detailed expression in Jesus’ face as his dead body is taken down from the cross. Judging by the clothing of the individual that is taking Jesus down from the cross it is possible that this man was meant to be the rich patron who commissioned this work. The artist also pays a lot of attention to the details and arrangement of the figures, especially the creases in the clothes, which go all the way down to the ribs pushing out of Jesus’ stomach. In person this sculpture is nowhere near the actual size of the real cross that Jesus was crucified on. On Jesus’ body there are cuts and bruises that he had previously endured during his torture up to the point of his crucifixion. This gives the audience a better understanding of what Jesus’ went through, as the descent from the cross marks the end point of his passion. “It is in origin essentially a symbol of Christ, but it has been invested with deeper meanings and by its universal use has come to signify Christianity” (Battistini, 24). There are many types of crosses but this one that is used in this particular object is a symbol for Jesus Christ, and represents Christianity as a whole. “The cross is an attribute of all followers of Christ” (Battistini, 24). This is essentially what the followers themselves use to represent their faith to the Christian religion. This picture would have no true meaning if a different type of cross were used because the cross is a huge part of the real event of Christ’s crucifixion.
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This particular object is a sculpture of This particular object is a sculpture of the descent from the cross of Jesus Christ, made in Germany circa 1515. The descent from the cross is an object that represents the aftermath of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Jesus is the Son of God who sacrificed his life for the sins of mankind. Jesus was sacrificed after a long journey of preaching the word of God. He was crucified as an enemy of the Roman state. When Jesus was brought down from the cross this was a moment of great religious and historical worth, and the main purpose of this sculpture is to remember this moment. In this sculpture of the descent from the cross, the sculptor in the circle of Daniel Mauch, and the sculptor may have carved the likeness of his or her patron into the sculpture. This object measures at about five feet and ten inches in height, three feet and nine inches in width, with a dimension of ten inches. This object can be found on the third floor at the Los Angeles Museum of Arts (LACMA) in the Ahmanson building. In person the sculpture is vivid. It represents a moment in history and an iconic time, along with the sacrifice that Jesus had to endure. I chose this sculpture based on the connection I felt with God when I saw it in person at the museum.
The individuals that would use this object would be more than likely Christian. This object represents an event that all of mankind knows of. The crucifixion of Jesus’ Christ is a moment that Christians will never forget and can use this object as a reminder that Jesus’ had sacrificed his life for the sins of all mankind. Only those with a lot of wealth would be able to afford it like Priests, nobles, or kings. This item is not cheap to make or the materials that are used to make it so someone would need a lot of wealth in their lives in order to own something as expensive as this. The unknown artisan, or sculptor, that is the one responsible for sculpting this particular object may have had some sort of connection to Daniel Mauch. Daniel Mauch is a German wood-carver and sculptor who became a master in Ulm by 1503. Mauch could have possibly been very influential to the sculptor and possibly been his master. Any other sculptors that were associated with Mauch could have also been as much as an influence on this particular sculpture.
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Of course, the descent from the cross is still important today as it was when it was first made. It is used as a reminder of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity. There are many forms of the descent from the cross that can be found in paintings, triptychs, and altarpieces. They can be placed anywhere from above the entrance of doors of houses or buildings of holy places. There are other linden-wood objects that resemble this object but only differs in size and are not polychromed. In many of the images of similar objects, it is clearly shown that there is different person bringing him down every time because of the fact that each artist had their own interpretation of who actually brought Jesus’ down (or because no one really knows who did anyway). The person bringing Jesus down from the cross is not as important as the meaning of the image. Many of the paintings actually show a group of people that help bring Jesus down and surround his dead body.
Figures of the Descent from the Cross from Santa Maria de Taüll
This sculpture can be viewed at the Museu Nacional D’Art De Catalunya in Barcelona. It is located in room 11 and is a set of four figures. This dates between the second half of the twelfth century and the thirteenth century. This item is from the parish church of Santa Maria de Taull. These items are smaller compared to the nearly six-feet tall sculpture that can be found at LACMA. One of the similarities between the two museum objects is that the individual who seems to be holding Jesus is possibly not as high of a status as the individual taking him down from the LACMA cross. Over time, the pieces of this sculpture have broken off some are missing arms or legs. Also, the LACMA cross seems to be more expensive to make; the individuals that had the smaller sculptures like this one in Barcelona were likely not as wealthy. This particular object was made a few centuries before the LACMA object and, with that time difference, there were changes made to the style in which Jesus was portrayed. This object shows that the artist did not focus much detail in carving the bodies of the figures but focused more on the message that the image was trying to convey. Many times, pieces fall or break while being transported, so there is no surprise that the main part, the cross, is missing. Both sculptures convey a clear message but the polychromed linden-wood LACMA cross appears more vivid than this plain, smaller set of sculptures found in Barcelona. Size makes a difference when it comes to how the audience views an object. For example, since the LACMA object is taller than the average person, the sculpture makes the viewer really understand the gravity and importance of this historical event, and that Jesus was, just like us, a human. This particular object in Barcelona was acquired in 1932. The woodcarving technique applied to it actually has some tempera polychrome remains, though is not completely painted as the LACMA cross. The Barcelona cross falls under the category of medieval Romanesque art, whereas the LACMA cross is part of the European sculpture period of the early sixteenth century.
Daniel Mauch (1477-1540)
There is no image of the German wood-carver and sculptor Daniel Mauch who is linked to the unknown sculptor of the Descent from the Cross at LACMA. Above is one of Mauch's most famous works.
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Daniel Mauch was a German wood-carver and sculptor. He lived between 1477 and 1540. The unknown sculptor of LACMA’s Descent from the Cross was part of Mauch’s “circle,” which meant that he could have been employed in his workshop, his apprentice, or simply a contemporary influenced by Mauch’s style. Not much is known about Daniel Mauch, only that his earliest work that has been authenticated was an altarpiece that depicts the Holy Family, which dates to 1510 and can be found in the Bieselbach Chapel. This object has distinctly contemporary features, such as the use of an advanced altar form, Renaissance decoration, and unpainted figures (Wagini, “Mauch, Daniel”). This is just one of many of his works. This was one of his earliest masterpieces that he did and was the start of many more to come. Daniel Mauch was not as famous of a sculptor as many others but he did have some masterpieces. In his next altarpiece, he dedicated it to St. Sebastian in circa 1520. This piece can be found at Geislingen, St. Maria. Mauch became a master in Ulm by 1503 and did not leave until 1529, when the Reformation had caused hostility against such Catholic images. He then decided to settle in Liege. The monk Berselius in Liege wanted a small sculpture of the Virgin and Child. This is the finest example of Mauch’s use of the “parallel fold” style of drapery (Wagini, “Mauch, Daniel”).
Mauch’s personal details are important because they can give us a better understanding of the type of training the sculptor of the LACMA cross could have had. Many objects, unfortunately, do not have a known artist. Mauch could have even given advice to the unknown sculptor when he sculpted this particular object. |
Works Cited
Battistini, Matilde. Symbols and Allegories in Art. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2005.
Chase, George Henry and Chandler Post. A History of Sculpture. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1925.
"circle of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t4/e445>.
Emerson, Stephanie, ed. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003.
"Figures of the Descent from the Cross from Santa Maria De Taüll - Unknown - Google Cultural Institute." Figures of the Descent from the Cross from Santa Maria De Taüll - Unknown - Google Cultural Institute. Unknown, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Molesworth, H.D. European Sculpture: From Romanesque to Neoclassic. New York: Praeger, 1965.
Wagini, Susanne. "Mauch, Daniel." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T056060>.
Chase, George Henry and Chandler Post. A History of Sculpture. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1925.
"circle of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t4/e445>.
Emerson, Stephanie, ed. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003.
"Figures of the Descent from the Cross from Santa Maria De Taüll - Unknown - Google Cultural Institute." Figures of the Descent from the Cross from Santa Maria De Taüll - Unknown - Google Cultural Institute. Unknown, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Molesworth, H.D. European Sculpture: From Romanesque to Neoclassic. New York: Praeger, 1965.
Wagini, Susanne. "Mauch, Daniel." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T056060>.