Latin America, probably Mexico, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. An antique vegetal fiber cord with a wooden crucifix attached, and a brass cross dotted with spikes- both used for self-flagellation. Self-mortification of the flesh was carried out using whips or beating one's chest with a handheld object known as a spunga -usually a piece of cork studded with nails - this brass cross seems to be a variation of that type. Flagellation was (and still is in parts of Mexico and Europe) a common form of penance or religious devotion practiced by Catholic individuals and groups - especially during public processions during Easter / Holy Week (Semana Santa) to imitate the suffering of Jesus Christ, seek forgiveness for sins, and physically prove devotion via bloodshed. Size of brass cross: 6" L x 5.5" W (15.2 cm x 14 cm); whip: 36" L (91.4 cm)

Provenance: private Constance McCormick Fearing estate, Montecito, California, USA, acquired before 2004. Constance was a matriarch of the McCormick International Harvester family and resided on a breath-taking 18 acre estate over llooking the Pacific Ocean. Her collection has been exhibited in numerous museums around California.

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#181034

Vegetal cord with fraying and unraveling in areas, with losses to fibers on tails and looped handle below the wood cross. The brass cross is intact with some surface pitting and bending to spikes, possibly from use.