Spanish school; 18th century.

Spanish school; XVIII century.
"Crucifixion".
Gilded bronze and wooden niche.
Measurements: 30 x 22 x 4 cm (Christ); 122 x 64 x 26 cm (niche).
Crucifixion belonging to the Spanish school of the XVIII century. The figure of Christ crucified has been made in gilded bronze, a technique that gives the piece a bright and warm surface, emphasizing both the nobility of the material and the sacredness of the subject. The image represents Christ with outstretched arms, in a serene and stylized pose that distances itself from the expressive baroque dramatism in favor of a more sober restraint, possibly influenced by late classicist tendencies within Spanish religious art.
The anatomically proportioned and carefully modeled body shows a refined treatment of volume, especially in the torso and the purity cloth, which is resolved with soft folds that provide movement. The gilding adds a symbolic value, referring to the divine light and the idea of glory, and at the same time accentuates the contrast with the support on which the sculpture is mounted.
The figure is placed on a carved wooden niche of Andalusian origin, also from the 18th century, which represents a splendid example of late Baroque ornamental craftsmanship. The structure exhibits an exuberant vegetal decoration, with scrolls, acanthus leaves, flowers and volute elements that envelop the scene with an almost theatrical dynamism. The wood, probably walnut or cedar, has been darkened or treated with a varnish that intensifies the play of chiaroscuro in the reliefs.
The background covered in red velvet, characteristic of many Andalusian niches of this period, not only acts as a visual support for the crucifix, but also creates a symbolic chromatic field linked to the sacrifice and blood of Christ. The frame of the niche, with its ornate decorative program, reinforces the devotional dimension of the piece and its function as an object of domestic or chapel worship.
Overall, this work combines sculptural refinement with Andalusian ornamental splendor, demonstrating the persistence of the Baroque language in 18th century Spanish religious imagery, and its ability to combine spirituality, theatricality and formal richness.