Bust of Jesus as a Youth 1620/43, 18th century addition

This is François Duquesnoy’s gilded bust of Jesus as a youth, thought to have been made in the 17th century. Duquesnoy was Flemish, but spent his career in Rome, where the Catholic Church was an important artistic patron. The Church was eager to promote certain kinds of images in the wake of the Protestant reformation. This sculpture is an example of Baroque religious art; its overt emotionalism was intended to inspire devotion. Its smooth surface finish and idealized naturalism evokes the classical tradition, with the sculpture acting as a form of propaganda for both the church and the artist. Duquesnoy was one of the finest sculptors of his generation, who worked for an elite clientele. The choice of expensive materials, such as gilt, underlines the status of this devotional image. To fully understand this work, one would want to know more about the Counter-Reformation, Duquesnoy’s career, and the market for religious sculpture in 17th-century Italy. This would help us to situate the work within its complex social and institutional context.