Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Corpus with Moveable Arms (Kruzifixus mit schwenkbaren Armen)
Not on view
Throughout the late medieval and Renaissance periods, carved figures of Christ with articulated limbs were found across Europe. These movable sculptures were activated as the central protagonists of reenactments of the Passion of Christ during Easter celebrations. They were detached from the cross, physically embraced, cleaned, caressed, kissed by worshippers, and then shrouded for "burial." Such works turned passive onlookers into active participants. This example was made for a church in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino, a Catholic area that stood firm in the face of rising Protestantism elsewhere in the region.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
