PROPERTY FROM THE BENITO J. LEGARDA JR. COLLECTION

ABOUT THE WORK

This very impressive relleve/bas relief may well have been the prize in the Legarda collection of relleves. The large scale indicates the importance of the church in which it would have hung together with thirteen other reliefs depicting the Via Crucis. The complete set of fourteen relleves must have been an impressive sight, judging from the great skill and depth of emotion evoked by this lone piece. The depiction here focuses on the chief mourners in their traditional places at the foot of the cross. To the left, stands the Mater Dolorosa, attended by one of the Marys (Maria Cleofas?). To the right is St. John the Beloved. Mary Magdalene clutches at the foot of the cross, she alone among the three women is unveiled. Two cherubs are seen flanking Christ. A rare detail is seen in the fully-formed seraph who rushes with a chalice to catch the blood of Christ as it gushes from the wound on his side. The central figure depicts Christ , graceful and serene just moments after death. The stoic acceptance of death seems to be the most dominant character trait in this depiction. All the mourners display a controlled, dignified grief. The sculptor/s must have been working with a canonically-approved print or engraving, depicting the Crucifixion in the classical 17th century mode. An interesting detail is the lush foliage next to the figure of St. John. More than just a detail to fill in an empty space and balance the two Marys on the left, what is depicted is the Tree of Adam, from which Original Sin was born, and from which the dead Christ has just delivered all mankind. - by Floy Quintos