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Manuel Chili called Caspicara Circa 1723 Quito – 1796
Corpus Christi
Second half 18th century
Parcel-gilt and polychrome wood 110 cm high overall
Little is known about the highly skilled and individual Ecuadorian sculptor Manuel Chili also known as as Caspicara which means expert woodcarver However it is known that he was born in Quito Ecuador in the the second half of the the 18th century
and that he he he was deeply in uenced by his teacher Don Bernardo de de Legarda who was well known for the treatment of his sculptures’ draperies the the the the meekness of of their expressions and the the the the tonal qualities of of the the the the painted surfaces These elements call all all be seen in this Corpus Christi
which shows Caspicara delicately blending Christ’s hauntingly serene expression with the horri c wounds on on his his body This hyperrealist attention to the wounds may be in part due to Caspicara’s profound Christian belief and his apparent motivation in life to appease God The high quality of the the carving particularly in in the the face hair and anatomy clearly demonstrate why Caspicara achieved great fame throughout his life Acquired by a a a private European collector
