“Christ Crucified. Christus triumphans.” Northern France, ca. 1200.

“Christ Crucified. Christus triumphans.” Northern France, ca. 1200.
Cast and chiseled bronze.
Provenance: Peter Brandes Collection.
Cataloged on p. 235 of the monograph and exhibition catalog *Den genfundne tid. Kulturvandinger - Skaberkraft,” 2019. Co-published and exhibited by the Johannes Larsen Museet (Kerteminde, Denmark) and the Museet for Religiøs Kunst (Museum of Religious Art in Lemvig, Denmark).
Measurements: 15.5 x 14.5 cm.

The piece is a significant example of small religious bronze sculpture produced in northern France around 1200, still fully rooted in the Romanesque conception of Christ as the conqueror of death. The upright head, frontal gaze, and crown identify the image with the type of Christus triumphans, in which the Crucifixion is presented not primarily as an expression of physical suffering, but as a manifestation of Christ’s regal and divine nature.

Its design reflects a marked desire for synthesis. The body is strictly frontal in orientation, with the arms extended horizontally and the legs together, while the anatomy is defined by linear incisions that emphasize the ribs and the structure of the torso. The hair and beard are rendered schematically, and the long perizonium, cinched at the waist, concentrates much of the ornamental work through bands and dotted motifs. This combination of solemnity, stylization, and decorative richness gives the figure a monumental presence despite its small size.

The holes drilled in the hands and lower body correspond to its original function as a figure attached to a cross, which is now lost. The bronze, which was cast and subsequently chiseled, allowed certain features and ornaments to be emphasized, making the image clearly visible even from a distance and linking it to the refined tradition of medieval liturgical metalwork.

Of particular significance is its provenance from the Peter Brandes Collection, as well as its inclusion in an institutional publication and exhibition: the piece is reproduced and cataloged on page 235 of *Den genfundne tid*. Kulturvandinger - Skaberkraft (2019), a project developed jointly by the Johannes Larsen Museum in Kerteminde and the Museum of Religious Art in Lemvig. This documentary and institutional history places the work within a context of specialized study and dissemination, which is particularly significant for a medieval sculpture of a devotional nature.