Christo By Juan Ramon Velasquez, New Mexico

Juan Ramon Velesquez, New Mexico

1865 - 1890 | Item 2395

This is a most soulful Christo by Juan Ramon Velasquez. Christ’s entire body is pulling away from the cross, with especially the head, neck and upper chest coming forward. This gives a kinetic energy to his whole prescense. Velasquez with his unique design manipulations has created a most powerful Christ. The face is accentuated with exaggerated forms: deep set, large eyes, ears that are oddly formed and highly detailed, an almost bulbous nose with great character, a pointed chin lined from the mouth to tip of beard, and finally, the large, rounded forehead carrying a heavy set of eyebrows. The detailing goes on from there. The arms and legs are well formed with blood flow along lines of muscles. The hands and feet are highly detailed with all fingers and toes delineated. All of these characteristics are what make Velasquez’s work so interesting and desired.

The cross that Christ is on is heavily carved with repeated lines deeply cut into the cross parts. This all appears to be original to the piece. The top has a separate board attached with the classic initials “INRI”.

Juan Ramon Velasquez (1820 – 1902) appears to have worked predominately around the villages west of the Rio Grande. One of the later santeros, he must have started his profession as a santero around the age of forty. A large portion of his work was for the Penitente moradas, and consisted mainly of Passion figures. Velasquez was a prolific carver. Virtually every community in the villages west of the Rio Grande (Canjilon, Tierra Amarilla, Los Ojos, etc.) had santos made by him. He was a truly itinerant artist who traveled to an area and lived there while he completed commissions.