16th/17th century Sicilian (Trapani) carved coral figure of Christ.

16.5 cm long.

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Once believed to originate from the blood that flowed from Medusa’s head after being slain by Perseus, many talismanic qualities have been attributed to red coral. With increasing interest in the Natural Sciences, coral became a rare and precious commodity, prized in the Renaissance for its bold color, perceived medicinal benefits and belief it could ward off many “evils”
Beginning as early as the 14th century, coral branches were “mined” from the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Sicily in the port city of Trapani. The art of sculpting coral flourished in the 16th-18th centuries with jewelry in the form of beads,#cameos and rosaries, as well as larger scale decorative objects, devotional plaques and religious figures. These valued pieces were destined for wealthy patrons and royal courts, favored in Southern Italy and Spain.

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