18th-Century Jansenist Brass Standing Crucifix

This elegant 18th-century brass standing crucifix has a finely cast figure of Christ, a slanted INRI plaque, trefoil terminals and a stepped square base with engraved decoration. Its most distinctive feature is the steep upward angle of Christ’s arms, a detail often associated with Jansenist crucifixes. Jansenism was a 17th and 18th-century Catholic reform movement, especially influential in France, that stressed austerity, grace and moral rigor. In devotional objects, that influence is sometimes seen in a more restrained treatment of the Crucifixion, including the lifted arm position seen here. Walter Wells began collecting crucifixes over many years, finding them in Paris shops and Provençal brocantes. Mostly French and dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, they fascinated him for their variations in form, materials and detail, particularly given his strict Protestant upbringing, where religious imagery was largely absent. Over time, Walter came to see each crucifix not simply as an object, but as an individual expression of sacrifice, grace, forgiveness and acceptance. Several examples from his collection are available for separate purchase.