Few people that have walked this planet have left a mark as strong as Jesus of Nazareth has. As the central figure of Christianity - the world's largest religion in terms of followers - and believed to be the son of God by the followers of this faith, Jesus has definitely been a source of power and inspiration alike throughout history, and continues to do so to this day. Thus, he is also the person that has been visualized in different media, such as painting, iconography, sculpture, more than any other human being. Wherever Christianity has spread, his image can be found in one form or another, symbolizing the power of God, his faith and its followers.
Obviously, like in most religious architecture, exaggeration plays a strong part when it comes to the depiction of Jesus. Throughout history, churches, cathedrals, mosques, temples and other houses of faith have always been in a not-so-silent race to the largest and most striking, and religious sculpture is no different. Statues of Jesus have been built in massive dimensions all over the globe, especially in predominantly Catholic societies where the power of the church is stronger; in fact, some statues of Jesus have even been built underwater.
One statue of this son of God however, thanks to its location, its imposing altitude, its presence in a large Catholic society among other factors, has beat its holy competition and become an icon. The Christ the Redeemer statue (Cristo Redentor in Portuguese) overlooking the breathtaking city of Rio de Janeiro is, by far, the most memorable statue dedicated to Jesus, and rightly so.
Built in nine years between 1922 and 1931, Cristo Redentor statue stands 30 meters tall - excluding an 8 meter high pedestal - on top of the Corcovado mountain, which itself rises 700 meters above the city of Rio. The statue was constructed from reinforced concrete and soapstone, and held the title of the world's tallest Art Deco statue from its completion until 2010, when it surrendered this title to another statue of Jesus in Poland.
As is common with the Art Deco style, the statue combines tradition motifs with machine age images, resulting in an amalgam of geometric shapes, heavy ornamentation and powerful symmetry. Most popular during the 1920s through to 1940s, the Art Deco had appeared as an answer to man's struggle to reconcile the impact of industrialization and its not yet dissolved ties with tradition and crafts.
An idea to build a statue of Jesus on top of the Corcovado mountain was first brought up in mid 1850s, when Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss sought financing for a statue from Princess Isabella of Portugal. This idea was floated for a lengthy peiod before being entirely dismissed in 1889 when Brazil became a secular republic. A second proposal was made in 1921 by the Catholic Circle of Rio de Janeiro, who organized an event to rally support and collect donations for the construction of the statue.
During the design stage of the monument, several alternatives were considered; these included a Christian cross, Jesus holding a globe and a spherical pedestal that would symbolize the world. However, the current design was eventually chosen for the statue, and construction began the following year.
The statue was sculpted by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski, based on designs of local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, and it was built from reinforced concrete instead of steel to ensure rigidity needed for the stability of the cross shape. The face of Jesus was designed by Romanian scluptor Gheorghe Leonida. Finishing material was selected as soapstone, thanks to its endurance and ease during sculpting.
Completed in 1931, the monument was floodlit to ensure maximum visual impact for viewers; however a plan to light the floodlights from Rome by Guglielmo Marconi - the Italian inventor of long distance radio communication - did not work out as envisioned; local workers had to light the statue.
The statue was restored several times throughout its lifetime, mostly as a means to reduce erosion due to nature. Lightning strikes and wind erosion are the two largest contributors of damage to the statue, and two recent lightning strikes in 2008 and 2014 both caused visible structural damage that required repairs. Restorations that are worth mentioning were carried out in 1990, and from 2003 through 2010. In 2006, a chapel was consecrated under the statue, which paved the way for baptisms and weddings to be performed in this location; this obviously only added to the statue's popularity.
Much more recently, travel blogger and photographer Lee Thompson climbed to the top of the statue, and took selfies from this location. In doing so, he brought together two different worlds two millennia apart - the world of Jesus, and the world of smartphones. Obviously, no one cam claim these worlds seem awkward together.
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