The Crucifixion

The techniques used in carving in wood and stone were fundamentally the same. First the sculptor carved the rough shape of the piece, a process known as ‘blocking out’. Then, he would work the surface with knives or chisels and abrasives. The figure was generally held horizontally at a workbench and attached to cylindrical shafts, so the sculptor could turn the piece as he carved. Small-scale pieces were generally carved at a workbench.

The relief shows the range of effects made possible by the relative softness of alabaster. The sculptor has carved the figures in the foreground in high relief, but rendered the background – with the city of Jerusalem, the clouds and mountains – in low relief. This gives the scene a sense of perspective.