Miracula Christi (Christ the Physician)

Name/Title

Miracula Christi (Christ the Physician)

Entry/Object ID

2013.15.1

Description

Spanish Colonial painting of “Miracula Christi,” or “Christ the Physician,” Peru, c 1690. The message that Christ could heal the faithful who were ill and suffering was a powerful one in Spanish America that aided in evangelization efforts. The portrayal of Christ as divine physician is based on a 16th-c. engraving by the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius. Jesus holds a human heart infected by sin (the pig, frog, and money bag are symbols of evil) and a large cross with the serpent of Moses. Blood flows from Christ’s wound to a cup held by a sickly female figure. She is supported by a personification of Faith; above is an orb inscribed with “FIAT,” signifying creation and redemption.

Artwork Details

Medium

Oil, Oil on Canvas

Made/Created

Date made

1690

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Canvas

Height

65-1/2 in

Dimension Description

Framed

Height

73-1/2 in

Width

52 in