Crucifix Made Of Nevers Blown Glass

Crucifixion in Nevers drawn glass

Late 17th – early 18th century

This remarkable Crucifixion scene is composed of figures made of Nevers drawn glass, a work of great delicacy characteristic of Nevers glass art from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the center, Christ on the cross, surmounted by the titulus INRI, is surrounded by three angels. Two flank his body, while a third overlooks the scene from above the crossbeam. Their presence lends the Calvary a heavenly dimension and reinforces the deeply devotional nature of the composition.

At the foot of the Cross stand the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. The Virgin, dressed in white and draped in blue, her hands clasped, is depicted in an attitude of restrained grief and prayer. Facing her, Mary Magdalene, also dressed in blue, turns toward Christ in a more expressive pose, her arms outstretched.
The work’s appeal lies particularly in its technique. These delicate figures were fashioned from drawn glass, a material worked while hot, allowing for the creation of faces, limbs, garments, and drapery with great finesse. Given the extreme fragility of this type of work, it is remarkable that these figures, more than three centuries old, have survived in such good condition.
The composition is now protected by an elegant blackened-wood display case, added later in the early 19th century. Its chapel-shaped pediment, molded frame, and turned posts highlight the scene while reflecting the care taken in its preservation.
This ensemble thus serves as a valuable testament to the virtuosity of the Nevers glassmakers around 1700 and to these devotional objects, whose exquisite craftsmanship contrasts with the extreme fragility of the material.