A Memento Mori in wood with Chrismon, monogram of Christ, Italy end of 17th century.

Italy circa 1600.

A Memento Mori in wood with Chrismon, monogram of Christ. Valuable sculpture in fruit wood in almost true-to-life measurements, sculpted with art and finished with a wealth of details. The wood was covered with a thin layer of pellet and finished in color. Immediately above the forehead, in correspondence with the anterior neonatal fontanel, the CHRISMON is painted in purple red. The monogram of Christ or Chi Rho (or CHRISMON) is a combination of letters from the Greek alphabet, which form an abbreviation of the name of Christ. Solar in nature, often inscribed in a circle with multiple rays reminiscent of the cosmic wheel deriving from the ancient solar emblems of Egypt. The symbol consists of two large overlapping letters, the ‘X’ and the ‘P’. They correspond, respectively, to the Greek letter ‘χ’ (‘chi’, which reads kh, aspirated) and ‘ρ’ (‘rho’, which reads r). These two letters are the initials of the word ‘Χριστός’ (Khristòs ), the name of Jesus, which in Greek means “anointed” and translates the Hebrew “messiah”. On the sides of these two letters, there are very often two others: one ‘α’ and one ‘ω’, alpha and omega, the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet, used as a symbol of the beginning and the end. Italy, early 17th century.

5,5” – 14 CM H 5,5” – 14 CM L 7” – 18 CM D

REF: M5725