Name

Christ on the cross.

Origins

Unknown

Date

Late 17th century and 18th century.

Place of conservation

Church of Saint-Maurice in Aviernoz, Haute-Savoie, France.

Dimensions

1,35 m height.

Materials

Polychromed wood.

Palissy File

https://pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/memoire/OA074_20227401432

Description

The Christ on the Cross is a polychromed wooden sculpture dating from the late seventeenth or eighteenth century, preserved in the Church of Saint-Maurice des Ollières. Measuring 1.35 metres in height, it depicts Jesus crucified on a dark wooden cross surmounted by the INRI plaque, the Latin abbreviation of Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”). The figure of Christ, carved in pale grey tones, wears a dark grey perizonium knotted at the right hip. His head is slightly inclined, his mouth partially open, conveying suffering and death. The contrast between the light-toned flesh and the dark cross heightens the solemnity of the scene. Marked by great sobriety, this work attests to the craftsmanship of early modern wood sculptors. The polychromy, now muted, originally lent vitality and expressive intensity to the body of Christ. Although the artist remains unknown, the delicacy of the modelling and the realism of the forms bear witness to a careful and spiritually informed execution. The sculpture has been listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments since 1984 and remains visible several metres above ground within the church. It constitutes a moving testament to local faith and religious tradition.