Christ, Saviour of the World

Pedro Berruguete, an essential figure in the transition between Hispano-Flemish Gothic painting and the Renaissance in Castile, painted this Christ, Salvator Mundi, in 1501 for the low platform or "predella" of the altar piece in the church of Guaza de Campos in the province of Palencia. Over a gilded background and from behind a mock window, the figure of the risen Christ, partly nude, covered by a royal red cloak and showing the wounds from his Passion, appears in triumph over death. His right hand offers a blessing, while his left holds an orb that symbolises the world that he came to save, crowned by a double-barred cross bearing the banner of the Resurrection. His serene face conveys restrained emotion.