Cleveland Museum of Art

Corpus (Crucified Christ)

Date

late 1800s-early 1900s

Medium

Copper alloy

Culture

Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Cabinda, Kongo people

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

One of two Christian-inspired objects in the Delenne collection identifying the far-reaching networks of trade, diplomacy, religion, and cross-cultural exchange. Kongo Christian symbols were created as spiritual tools to help explain and alleviate the turbulent situation between Central African religion and Catholicism. This figurine is geometric in style, combining both Christian ideals and preexisting Kongo artistic practices. Its pierced hands and feet link him to crucifixion images. This figure combines Kongo artists’ attention to symmetry with the Western depiction of Christ, lifeless on the cross.

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