The Triumphant Infant Jesus; Northern European School, possibly Flanders, 17th century

The Triumphant Infant Jesus; Northern European School, possibly Flanders, 17th century
Carved, gilded, and polychromed wood.
The polychrome paint shows signs of wear and loss
Measurements: 35 x 18 x 17 cm.

Triumphant Infant Jesus

Northern European school, possibly Mechelen, Flanders, 17th century

Carved, gilded, and polychromed wood. The polychromy shows signs of wear and loss.

A sculpture in the round depicting the Child Jesus standing in a triumphant pose on a rocky pedestal teeming with reptiles. The figure, with a nude body and wavy hair, has its right arm raised, holding a fragmented object, while the left arm hangs extended along the body. The carving retains traces of polychromy and gilding at the base, although the flesh tones of the body show considerable losses that expose the wood.

The treatment of the face is reminiscent of the work of Flemish workshops specializing in images of the Infant Jesus, among which the Mechelen workshop stood out in particular; its remarkable serial production of devotional carvings of children enjoyed widespread circulation throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. However, the slimmer proportions of this piece—somewhat different from those typically found in the “Mechelen children”—suggest that it may be a related work from another nearby Flemish or Dutch center. As for the iconography, the presence of reptiles at the figure’s feet refers to the motif of the Child Jesus triumphing over sin, identified as the new seed that defeats the serpent according to the tradition of Genesis.