The Crucified Christ is a central theme in Christian art around the world, and lustrous white ivory is an ideal material for representing the human figure. High-quality devotional Christian images made in Asia, like this one, were often exported to Europe as luxury goods or high-level gifts. The skill of the carver in convincingly rendering facial features, muscles, and even veins creates a figure with deep emotional impact. The arms and a part of the loin cloth were made from separate pieces of ivory, a technique common of European ivory figures.
