Mexican Santo Sculpture of 'Cristo Rey Bizantino' by Jorge Morales Europa - Early 21st Century

Description

“¡Viva Cristo Rey!” was the exclamation of the Mexican martyrs of the early 20th century during a persecution by an … more “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” was the exclamation of the Mexican martyrs of the early 20th century during a persecution by an atheistic dictatorship. The parish priests of both my paternal grandfather in Zacatecas and my maternal grandfather in Jalisco were both martyred and were canonized as saints of the Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II.

This Santo figure of Cristo bizantino (“Byzantine Christ”), was hand carved and painted with black and gold vestments on commission by Jorge Morales Europa of Mexico City. This image of Christ, the Crucified King in royal vestments, is based on an 8th-century fresco at the Basilica of SS. Cosmas and Damian adjacent to the Forum in Rome. The feast of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of the church year, just before the season of Advent. The liturgy of the feast focuses on the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment.
Jorge Morales Europa, my artist partner in Mexico City, is the latest in several generations of the men of his family to be a maker of santo images according to traditional methods of wood carving and polychrome and gilt painting. For them it is a religious calling as well as an artistic vocation, something like that of the Orthodox Christians who "write" icons.

10 percent of proceeds from sale of this and other items of religious art in the Lucía Landa Collection will be donated to provide scholarships to Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a K-8 school in Ferguson, Missouri, primarily serving Black and Hispanic children and families. less