Crucifix

José Mondragón, Crucifix, 1971, carved wood with leather, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.257
José Mondragón, Crucifix, 1971, carved wood with leather, 30 5⁄16 x 16 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄2 in. (77.0 x 41.9 x 9.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.257

Artwork Details

Title
Crucifix
Artist
Date
1971
Location
Dimensions
30 5⁄16 x 16 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄2 in. (77.0 x 41.9 x 9.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
carved wood with leather
Classifications
Subjects
  • Religion — New Testament — Christ
  • Religion — New Testament — Crucifixion
Object Number
1986.65.257
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.257

Artwork Description

José Mondragón created many images of the Crucifixion. The letters “INRI” on top of the cross translate as “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” In this piece, Mondragón carved the head, body, and legs from a single piece of wood, then added the arms separately. The figure’s calm expression and pose show the strength of Jesus’s faith, even at the end, and the small drops of blood on his face are the only clue that he is experiencing any pain.

Works by this artist (22 items)

View all artworks
Eddie Arning, Birds, 1969, crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.163
Birds
Artist
Date1969
crayon on paper
Not on view
Eddie Arning, Six Figures with Pigeons and Buildings, 1970, oil pastel on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Sackton, 1987.51.7
Six Figures with Pigeons and Buildings
Artist
Date1970
oil pastel on paper
Not on view
Eddie Arning, Two Soldiers, ca. 1968, crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Sackton, 1987.51.9
Two Soldiers
Artist
Dateca. 1968
crayon on paper
Not on view
Eddie Arning, Two Houses, 1967, crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Sackton, 1987.51.2
Two Houses
Artist
Date1967
crayon on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Seymour Lipton, Untitled, 1959, oil crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Alan Lipton and Michael Lipton, 1994.98.2, © 1994, Michael Lipton and Alan Lipton
Untitled
Artist
Date1959
oil crayon on paper
Not on view
Eddie Arning, Birds, 1969, crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.163
Birds
Artist
Date1969
crayon on paper
Not on view
Gene Davis, Untitled, 1976, pencil, colored pencil, and crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Florence Coulson Davis, 2000.43.12
Untitled
Artist
Date1976
pencil, colored pencil, and crayon on paper
Not on view
Joseph Stella, Pine Tree, 1919, silverpoint and crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Caroline Keck, 2008.17
Pine Tree
Artist
Date1919
silverpoint and crayon on paper
Not on view