flagellant

flagellant , 1800s

Where object was made: Venezuela

Material/technique: carving; wood; gilding; paint

Credit line: Transferred from the University of Kansas Natural History Museum

Accession number: 1948.0023

Not on display

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Empire of Things

The gaunt body and wounded back of this monk show his self-flagellation. Monks performed flagellation, or beatings, during Holy Week as a reminder of the suffering of Christ. This sculpture would have been commissioned by a monastic order to carry around cities during Holy Week processions.

Exhibition Label:
"Corpus," Apr-2012, Kris Ercums
The sculpture was likely commissioned by a monastic order or lay confraternity of penitents in conjunction with Holy Week processions or flagellant processions that arose during outbreaks of the plague. During Holy Week, flagellations were performed in memory of Christ. In instances of plague outbreaks (1603 and 1665-66 in London, 1629-31 in Italy and 1647-52 in Seville) monks and members of lay brotherhoods would whip themselves as they processed through city streets and may have carried sculptures such as this.