This magnificently carved boxwood Corpus Christi exemplifies the refined artistry of Flemish—most likely Antwerp—production during the mid-17th century. The sculpture's Spanish provenance suggests it was created specifically for export, reflecting Antwerp's prominence as a major center for art production and international trade during this period. The city's workshops were renowned for supplying devotional objects to the Iberian market, where there existed a strong appetite for finely crafted religious imagery.

 

While surely intended for private devotion by a devout and affluent patron, this work also functioned as a precious Kunstkammer object, valued as much for its technical virtuosity as for its spiritual significance. The choice of boxwood itself signals luxury and connoisseurship. One of the hardest woods to carve, boxwood grows slowly and was consequently expensive, yet its exceptionally fine grain allows for the rendering of the most minute anatomical details. The present work demonstrates this to remarkable effect: notice the individually articulated fingers, the subtle vascular detail visible beneath the surface of the skin, the precisely modeled musculature of the torso and limbs, and the naturalistic treatment of the ribcage and facial features.

 

The warm, burnished patina that has developed over centuries enhances the sculpture's physical presence while testifying to its age and the devotional handling it has received. This Corpus Christi stands as testament both to the technical mastery of Flemish woodcarvers and to the sophisticated networks of patronage and trade that connected Northern and Southern Europe during the baroque period.