Modernist Cast Bronze Crucifix on Walnut Cross, French or Belgian, Circa 1960s

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Modernist Cast Bronze Crucifix on Walnut Cross, French or Belgian, circa 1960s

A striking mid-20th century Modernist crucifix, featuring a … Read more Modernist Cast Bronze Crucifix on Walnut Cross, French or Belgian, circa 1960s

A striking mid-20th century Modernist crucifix, featuring a cast bronze corpus of Christ mounted on a stepped walnut cross. The figure of Christ, measuring 15 inches high by 17 inches wide, is modeled with bold, expressive texture, emphasizing the suffering and humanity of the subject rather than classical idealization. The body is elongated and angular, with a sharply worked surface that bears the marks of the artist’s hand, recalling the spiritual intensity of postwar French and Belgian sacred art.

France in particular fostered modernist crucifix forms after WWII—sculptors like Jean Lambert-Rucki, Georges Rouault (in painting), and others influenced church commissions. Belgium (esp. Flanders and Wallonia) was also a center for expressive bronze religious works in this period. While unsigned, your crucifix is stylistically consistent with those circles.

Executed circa the 1960s, this crucifix reflects the liturgical renewal of the era, when churches and chapels sought modern works that moved beyond traditional Gothic and Baroque imagery. The bronze corpus was created using the lost-wax casting method, left with a deliberately raw, chiseled finish, and highlighted by a warm reddish-brown patina. The crown of thorns, bowed head, and crossed legs all heighten the emotional resonance of the sculpture, which is mounted on a rich walnut cross with a stepped edge and fitted with a loop for hanging.

With its combination of Modernist sculptural language and timeless iconography, this crucifix embodies the mid-century effort to reinterpret devotional art for contemporary worship. Powerful and contemplative, it stands as both a work of religious devotion and a piece of modern sculpture.

Measurements:
Overall: 26" H × 19.75" W × 5.5" D
Bronze figure alone: 15" H × 17" W × 3.5" D See less