Spanish School (17th Century) - *salvator Mundi* With The Sacrament Of The Eucharist

Oil on re-stretched canvas.

This Baroque depiction of Christ as the Salvator Mundi and the Eucharistic Christ is fully in keeping with the dogmatic fervor and Counter-Reformation spirit of 17th-century Spanish painting. It replaces the crystal sphere found in Flemish and Italian models with the ostentation of the consecrated host and the priestly chalice. The figure of Jesus, draped in green tunics and dark, flowing robes, stands out against a shaded background thanks to a soft yet effective chiaroscuro, reminiscent of Murillo’s work. This chiaroscuro directs the light directly onto the serene and introspective face and onto the hands holding the Eucharist. Christ’s distant yet compassionate gaze invites the viewer to deep devotion, while the presence of the consecrated bread and chalice evokes the redemptive sacrifice and the dogma of transubstantiation, strongly reaffirmed by the Council of Trent. Formally, the loose brushwork of the drapery and the delicate rendering of the face and hair reflect an assimilation of Sevillian or Madrilenian Baroque painting from the mid-Golden Age, making this image a powerful object of devotion intended for pious contemplation and the exaltation of the sacraments.

- Dimensions of the unframed image: 52 x 81 cm / 68 x 97 cm with a custom frame.