Carved Wooden Christ On The Cross – Late 18th Century. Provenance: Workshop Of Léon Brunard

Carved Wooden Christ on the Cross – Late 18th Century Provenance: Workshop of Léon Brunard (1872-1931) A moving carved wooden Christ, dating from the late 18th century, depicting Christ expiring in a pose of great dramatic intensity. The sculpture is distinguished by the finesse of its modeling: a powerfully anatomized torso, nervous and realistic musculature, prominent ribs, and a hollowed abdomen with a beautiful tension of volume. The loincloth with its tormented folds animates the composition and accentuates the movement of the body. The head, slightly inclined, features deeply carved hair, rendered with vigor and sensitivity. Over time, the wood has acquired a magnificent warm brown patina, satiny with age, revealing the quality of the workmanship and the depth of the carving. Some slight wear and traces of age, consistent with its antiquity, fully contribute to its authenticity. This Christ figure also has a particularly moving provenance: it belonged to the ceramist and artist Léon Brunard (1872-1931). An old photograph shows the artist in his study, focused at his workbench, working on an enameled vase. Beside him, hanging near the mirror in his studio, this same Christ figure is clearly visible. This precious image documents not only the presence of the work in the intimacy of his studio, but also illuminates the aesthetic and spiritual world in which Brunard moved. It reveals the silent dialogue between the object of devotion and artistic creation, between faith, meditation, and the craftsman's touch. It is therefore not simply a fine 18th-century Christ figure, but a direct witness to the working environment of a renowned artist of the early 20th century. A work that is at once spiritual, historical, and profoundly embodied.