Benedetto Da Maiano (workshop Of) - 1480/1490 - Polychrome Wooden Crucifix And Chalk-ground Canvas

An extraordinary Florentine wooden crucifix from the last quarter of the 15th century, with original polychrome painting in excellent condition, showing only slight and rare retouching, a loincloth in polychrome striped canvas with traces of gilded striped decoration and, most exceptionally, its original halo in gilded relief.
Although an authoritative expert opinion attributes it to Leonardo del Tasso, this splendid example displays a distinctly 15th-century sensibility, more closely linked to late-Gothic or proto-Renaissance models than to the more elaborate 16th-century works created by Del Tasso.
Therefore, in my opinion, we should focus on a pupil or collaborator of the Maiano workshop, though not specifically del Tasso, who joined that workshop as a collaborator only after he had already completed his training.
From a sculptural standpoint, the work features elements of the highest quality: the crossed legs highlight the structure of the tendons and are rendered with remarkable formal elegance. The chest is swollen and the abdomen hollowed out, as if to simulate one last great breath before passing away. Here one can observe the exposed yet very sturdy ribs and the narrow waist that connects to the pinstriped loincloth: long, form-fitting, with subtle folds of great refinement, secured by a knot that is as small as it is technically difficult to execute and highly virtuosic.
The loincloth is the typical blue color, adorned with vertical bands made of mission-style gold, of which extensive traces remain.
The arms are slender, and the hands, like the feet, are simplified. Red is still present to highlight the drops of blood, both on the hands and feet and on the side of the body, where the wound is large and filled with blood.
The face, typically in the Maian style, appears slightly recessed and very delicate in form. The mouth is open, gasping for air for the final breath; the expression already resigned to death, yet serene.
The hair is rendered in refined tubular locks, synthetic yet exceptionally skillfully executed: in some places, they are openwork, reflecting the need to confer dignity upon the piece.
Of particular note is the original gilded metal halo, with the nail that secures it to Christ’s head.
Monochrome on top, the lower part, however, features relief decorations.
The condition is exceptionally good: only one finger on the right hand has been restored, and the polychromy—though oxidized and with very few minor retouches—is completely original.
A few woodworm holes in the metalwork serve as a chronological indicator of the piece’s age.
Dimensions: 55 cm (head to feet) / 53.5 cm (hand to hand)