37 - Attributed to GIUGLIELMO DELLA PORTA (Lombardy, 1500 – Rome, 1577).

Attributed to GIUGLIELMO DELLA PORTA (Lombardy, 1500 – Rome, 1577). “Christ on the Cross.” Second half of the 16th century. Christ in gilded bronze on an ebony architectural base. Measurements: 43 x 36 x 10 cm (Christ); 121 x 54 x 27 cm (entire piece). This sculpture is related to the models of crucified figures developed by Guglielmo della Porta, one of the key figures of Roman Mannerism and one of the principal architects of the renewal of religious sculpture during the second half of the 16th century. Its particular interest lies in the anatomical depiction of Christ—linked to the influence of Michelangelo—and in its belonging to a sculptural typology that became widely popular in the courtly and ecclesiastical circles of Counter-Reformation Europe. The richness of the gilded bronze, combined with the monumentality of the cross and its elaborate architectural base, gives the ensemble a striking sculptural and devotional presence. The connection to Guglielmo della Porta finds its main stylistic arguments in the anatomical treatment, the dynamic conception of the body, and the particular arrangement of the limbs. The figure reflects the Mannerist style developed in Rome based on Michelangelo’s models, particularly in the muscular tension, the articulation of the torso, and the pursuit of movement that breaks with the frontal orientation of traditional representations. The bowed head and expression of abandonment introduce a spiritual dimension consistent with the religious sensibility of the second half of the Cinquecento, when images of the Passion took on growing importance as instruments of contemplation and devotion. Of particular relevance is the comparison with the crucified Christ housed in the Museum of the Poor Clares in Monforte de Lemos, which the institution itself identifies as a work by Guglielmo della Porta. It is a gilded bronze Christ mounted on an ebony reliquary cross, part of a collection linked to Catalina de la Cerda y Girón, daughter of the 9th Count of Lemos. This important artifact documents the presence of crucifixes associated with Della Porta in Spanish aristocratic and religious collections, as well as the appreciation of his models within ensembles of exceptional material and symbolic richness. Another significant example is the crucifix preserved at the Museo degli Innocenti in Florence, attributed to Guglielmo della Porta and dated between 1550 and 1599. The entry in the Italian national catalog explicitly links this piece to the crucifixes produced in the sculptor’s workshop, noting their widespread circulation in Italy until the end of the 16th century. The existence of these examples provides strong evidence for situating the work presented here within a recognizable sculptural tradition linked to the master’s activity and his circle. The production of small bronze crucifixes occupied a significant place in late Renaissance Italian sculpture. In contrast to large monumental commissions, these works met a demand for images intended for private chapels, oratories, and spaces for personal devotion. The use of gilded bronze allowed for a combination of precise modeling and a material richness particularly prized by patrons. Their incorporation into crosses made of fine woods and meticulously crafted architectural supports transformed these sculptures into objects of religious representation and social prestige. Guglielmo della Porta enjoyed a distinguished career in the Roman art world of the sixteenth century. Trained in northern Italy and later active in Rome, he came into contact with Michelangelo, whose monumental conception of the human body exerted a decisive influence on his artistic language. His connections to the papal court and the Farnese family allowed him to secure important commissions, most notably the funerary monument to Pope Paul III in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. His work encompassed both monumental sculptures and models intended for bronze casting, and his workshop played a fundamental role in disseminating his innovations. Della Porta’s significance within Renaissance religious sculpture is also reflected in his production of reliefs dedicated to the Passion of Christ. The Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest houses a gilded bronze Crucifixion, dated around 1570–1575, attributed to him. This body of work demonstrates the importance the artist placed on depicting Christ’s sacrifice and on using bronze as a medium to create compositions of great expressive intensity.