'Do this in remembrance of me': Eucharistic theology, mysticism, and empathy in Spanish Golden Age polychrome sculpture

Early art historians denigrated Spanish Golden Age polychrome sculpture as utilitarian (i.e., serving a solely ecclesiastical function), stylistically stagnant, and without a complex philosophical base.- '"Do This in Remembrance of Me': Eucharistic Theology, Mysticism, and Empathy in Spanish Golden Age Polychrome Sculpture" builds upon recent advancements in scholarship to argue for a more complex understanding of these eerily naturalistic sculptures and how they may have been interpreted vis-a-vis empathetic worship. Early modem Spanish society was intricately tied to the country's unique religiosity. Taking into consideration possible influences such as the Spanish Inquisition, Tridentine decrees on sacred art and the Eucharist, popular sacramental confraternities, and contemporary Spanish mysticism, an argument for a more profound interpretation and appreciation of Spanish polychrome sculpture is presented. Ultimately, the findings in "'Do This in Remembrance of Me'" will help to further the study of these magnificent works, and bolster the sculptures' scant historiography.