Artwork Page for Mourning Saint John

Details / Information for Mourning Saint John

Mourning Saint John

c. 1240–1260

Austria, Region of Salzburg, Lungau?, 13th century

Medium
painted wood
Measurements
Overall: 43.8 x 11.5 cm (17 1/4 x 4 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Severance A. Millikin 1958.189
Public Domain
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Location
109 Gothic Painting and Sculpture
Print

Description

These traditional devotional figures at one time formed a Crucifixion group with a Crucified Christ (now lost). The ensemble may have been mounted high above the entrance to the sanctuary of a church on a barrier called a rood beam, beyond which lay people were not allowed. Crucifixion groups were common in medieval churches where they symbolized the sacrifice and real presence of Christ in the Mass.
A painted wood sculpture depicts Saint John, a figure with muted tan robes and downcast eyes. He tilts his head left, resting a cheek on his right hand in a sorrowful pose. His left hand holds a rectangular book with straps against his chest. The coarse wood surface is marked by visible grain and deep cracks, giving the aged statue a rough appearance. He stands on small feet atop a simple base.

Mourning Saint John

c. 1240–1260

Austria, Region of Salzburg, Lungau?, 13th century

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