351. On Exhibit: CRISTO A LA COLUMNA (Scourging at the Pillar)

This small, but incredible piece of religious folk art, came by  way of an antique dealer from Bulacan, who kept popping in at odd days in my Makati office, bearing all kinds of “antique finds”.

 One time,  without any advance warning, he went to show me an antique processional santo—in my office building, of all places. He wanted to go up my 23^rd flr. Office, but I told him to wait at the Starbucks Café on the groundfloor. 

Simple carving characterized this Cristo

When I went down to meet him, he was casually seated outdoor, with a coffee at hand---and an almost lifesize statue of a bare Sta. Magdalena on his side. He was oblivious to the stares of people around him, so I asked him to put the image back into his van!

Silver potencias shaped like sun's rays

So the next time he called to say that he had an antique to show again, I told him to quit it! But he kept on waxing praises about how rare it was—Scourging at the Pillar carving—with silver  tapiz and potencias incised with ysot design, human hair wig, folksy carving that fits my taste—--which began to intrigued me. This time, I asked him to meet me at my Makati place, where our wheeling and dealing would be more discreet. 

The figure is painted in ashen white

When he did show me the piece, I was stunned at the powerful simplicity of the small carving, barely 32 inches tall, painted ashen white. 

This Cristo has an expressionless gaze

The face of Christ itself bore no trace of agony nor tension, what with his big, downcast but staring eyes and expressionless lips. He actually has carved short hair, but was meant to wear a human hair wig over it. He has large protuding ears, carved without much details.

Note the child-like fingers

In contrast to the plain-ness of the carving which is characterized by it folk art quality, its silver metal accessories are outstanding. The 3 potencias mimic the rays of the sun, very similar to the sun’s rays on the Philippine flag. They are decorated in ysot (etched) style.

 The silver tapiz, on the other hand, is made of hammered metal, decorated with trefoil flowers and leaves on a vine. The edges are serrated. A separate silver  bow with long tails  keeps the tapiz in place. It is also decorated in repousse technique.

Trefoil foliage on the pukpok tapiz

The antique Cristo a la Columna came in its own glass case over a newer wooden base of narra, that probably dates from the 50s.

Imagine, I had meant to dismiss this dealer because of his obstructive ways, and if I had done that today, I would have missed this fabulous piece of ancient Philippine sacred art. Smitten with this rare find, I lost no time in haggling with the dealer about its price, and we arrive successfully and painlessly with the final price tag. 

Since then, I have been offered much more by other antique dealers who recognize the quality of this Cristo at the pillar. I have no plans of letting it go. The only time this Cristo gets  out of my sight is when he is borrowed for a traditional Lenten Exhibit of the Carmelite brothers every March. At least, he gets to be seen and enjoyed by santo aficionados who truly appreciate the antiquity and naïve beauty of ancient Philippine santo art. 

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(This article is dedicated in memory of Bro. Anthony “Onie” Domingo (+), Carmelite brother, and curator at Carmelite Brown Scapular, who first chose this piece from my collection for his Lenten exhibit called Misericordes Sicut Pater in 2016. For the next 4 years, the Lenten Exhibit was held annually  at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Broadway, New Manila, Quezon City, until Bro. Onie’s untimely demise in August 2020. He is lovingly missed.) 

SOURCES:

All photos from Buenviaje PH, FB page

Anthony Doming FB page