Provenance: Parian Workshops, Manila Private Collection, Spain

ABOUT THE WORK

Ivory crucifixes with torsos exceeding 20 inches in length are seldom seen in the Philippines, for the simple reason that most of the really large pieces made in the Parian in the 17th and 18th centuries of the Spanish colonial period were exported to Mexico via the Galleon Trade. Previously, the largest solid ivory crucifix in the country was that in the University of Sto. Tomas Museum, an 18th century piece that measured 29 inches. This piece, however, recently repatriated from Spain, measures 32 inches, making it the largest solid ivory crucifix in the country today. In style and form, it resembles the 17th-century ivory crucifix owned by Martin Imperial Tinio, Jr. (now in the Bebe Virata Collection) that measured 24 inches. Both were certainly made by the same craftsman, because both of them are in the Cristo Expirante pose with the head looking up. The crowns of thorns on both images are integrally carved and both have their bodies arched forward. The larger statue, however, is missing the bunched piece of drapery on the left side of the perizonium or tapis. The hair and beard of this crucifix is finely carved in the binihon or ‘fine rice noodle‘ style with each strand of hair delineated. This characteristic on santos is one of the major indications in determining the age of the statue. The arms and legs of the crucifix are carved with the veins showing. The Cristo is nailed to a modern kamagong cross with a line-inlaid border of ivory. Silver cantoneras decorate the terminals of the cross. -Martin I. Tinio, Jr