Ascension of Christ

unknown folk sculptor

Basic information
ID
С-I-2116
Author
unknown folk sculptor
Name
Ascension of Christ
Date of creation
19th c.
Country
Ukraine
Culture
Folk
Technique
carving polychrome
Material
wood
Dimensions (height x width x depth, cm)
60.5 x 23 x 21
Information about author
Object description
Unlike professional works, folk artists' depictions of figurative compositions of the Ascension of Christ are characterised by an accentuated static nature. This is the case with the sculpture of Christ from the village of Yosypivka. In a naive manner typical of folk artists, the saint's figure is interpreted in a stooped position, with a loincloth on his thighs and a cloak fluttering behind his shoulders, breaking the restraint of the image. The full-length image of Jesus is carved without respecting the anatomical proportions of the human body: the small head is attached to a massive neck that leads to narrow, lowered shoulders, and the long torso is in discord with the short legs. The saint's right foot rests on a skull, symbolising victory over death. Jesus' features are unconventional: a rounded face with expressive cheekbones and a small wedge-shaped beard is framed by long strands of hair falling to his shoulders. The eyes are wide open, and the barely arched eyebrows on Christ's face are frozen in thought. The static sculptural composition of the Ascension is polychrome, with a red cloak as a bright accent.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery