Nineteenth-Century French Bronze Standing Crucifix

A finely worked 19th-century French standing crucifix, probably bronze, with distinctive pierced trefoil terminals, delicate punched decoration, and a small INRI plaque. The figure of Christ is simply modeled above a skull and crossbones motif symbolizing Golgotha, while the round stepped base gives the piece a compact, balanced silhouette.

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.