IL CRISTO PADOVANO DI MONTEPELOSO Da scultura animata ‘d’area donatelliana’ a crocifisso ‘napoletano’ secentesco, e oltre

The article focuses on the wooden Christ of Paduan origin that arrived at the cathedral of Montepeloso (Irsina), probably in 1459, together with the other works of art constituting the de Mabilia ‘donation’. It analyses its peculiar original characteristics (limbs and head joints, the wound of the side, perhaps mobile tongue, beard and hair in natural horsehair, etc.) and subsequent metamorphoses from an ‘animated’ artifact suitable for the ritual performances of the entire Easter triduum and public devotions to a static but active work in the already post-Tridentine era.