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From Torment to Ecstasy: The Sculpture of Alonso Berruguete

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From Torment to Ecstasy: The Sculpture of Alonso Berruguete
Detail of Abraham’s face in "The Sacrifice of Isaac," 1526–1533, by Alonso Berruguete. Polychromed wood with gilding. National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain. Javier Muñoz and Paz Pastor/National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain
Lorraine Ferrier
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St. Christopher stares directly at me, and in a heartbeat I feel what he feels—even my mouth mirrors his. This realization, and level of intimate communion, makes me feel more than a little self-conscious as my gaping mouth brings me sharply back to reality. So palpable is St. Christopher’s conviction as he carries the Christ child on his shoulders across a river that I forget this St. Christopher is a polychromed wooden figure carved by Spanish Renaissance sculptor Alonso Berruguete.
Detail of "St. Christopher," 1526–1533, by Alonso Berruguete. Polychromed wood with gilding. National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain. (Javier Muñoz and Paz Pastor/National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain)
Detail of "St. Christopher," 1526–1533, by Alonso Berruguete. Polychromed wood with gilding. National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain. Javier Muñoz and Paz Pastor/National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid, Spain
Lorraine Ferrier
Lorraine Ferrier
Author
Lorraine Ferrier writes about fine arts and craftsmanship for The Epoch Times. She focuses on artists and artisans, primarily in North America and Europe, who imbue their works with beauty and traditional values. She's especially interested in giving a voice to the rare and lesser-known arts and crafts, in the hope that we can preserve our traditional art heritage. She lives and writes in a London suburb, in England.
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