Crucifix In Patinated Bronze - Paris Edition, Rue Du Vieux-colombier - Marked B.h.m.

Elegant bronze crucifix with a deep brown patina and sculptural presence, typical of late 19th-century Parisian production.

The finely modeled Christ features a slender anatomy and a recollected expression, imbued with an interiorized spirituality typical of the devotional aesthetic stemming from the post-Tridentine tradition. The treatment of the body, at once sober and sensitive, is fully in keeping with the trend of religious art disseminated around Saint-Sulpice, then a major center for the production and influence of devotional objects.

The cross, with its three-lobed ends, is richly decorated with neo-Gothic-inspired foliage. In finely chased medallions, it features the symbols of the four Evangelists - angel, lion, bull and eagle - giving the whole a theological and narrative dimension inherited from the great medieval traditions.

The work bears a particularly interesting double mark:
- that of the Parisian publisher, located on rue du Vieux-Colombier
- as well as the mention B.H.M., This double identification testifies to a structured mode of production, associating creation, publishing and distribution, characteristic of the religious art market at the time.


This crucifix is part of the so-called Sulpician art movement, long underestimated but today reconsidered for its essential role in the diffusion of Christian iconographic models.

In contrast to later industrial productions, this example is distinguished by:
- a clean, precise cast quality
- careful chasing of the details
- a homogeneous antique patina, with warm nuances

It thus presents a particularly successful balance between devotional object and decorative sculpture.


This work can be likened to the productions of Parisian publishers such as:
- Maison Raffl
- Fonderie Susse Frères

while retaining its own identity linked to its Vieux-Colombier publisher.

Features
- Material: bronze
- Patina: shaded old brown
- Height: 37.5 cm
Width: 25.5 cm
- Period: circa 1880-1900
- Origin: Paris
- Marks:
o "Propriété de l'éditeur", rue du Vieux-Colombier
o "B.H.M." on reverse

Condition

Very good condition.
Preserved antique patina.
Usage wear consistent with age.
No notable alterations.

Appreciation

A decorative and spiritual work, emblematic of Parisian expertise in the field of religious art at the end of the 19th century.
It will appeal both to devotional object enthusiasts and to collectors sensitive to historicist aesthetics and the history of applied arts.

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