Photograph by
Julius Schulman & David Glomb.
All rights reserved. |
The
life-size,
bronze
crucifix
for
the
Cathedral
of
our
Lady
of
the
Angels
was
designed
by
sculptor
Simon
Toparovsky.
He
has
incorporated
the
brutality
of
the
crucifixion
and
death
of
Jesus
while
showing
His
triumph
and
serenity
as
He
embraces
death
for
the
good
of
humankind.
|
|
Photograph
by Julius Schulman & David Glomb.
All rights reserved.
|
The
crucifix is of human scale in order that it can be approachable
and accessible to worshipers, especially when they kiss the feet
of Jesus on Good Friday. The perspective is intentionally distorted
so that there is a sense of awe that comes from looking up at Jesus.
The hands are strong and the proportions are not exactly anatomically
equivalent, but rather are meant to be expressionistic. |
Toparovsky
constructed
the
basic
shape
of
the
6'6"
human
form
as
one
piece
out
of
wax,
clay,
chicken
wire,
foam,
tape
and
plastic
tubing.
He
used
burlap
and
wax
on
the
outside
surface
which
let
the
bronze
casting
show
the
texture
of
the
burlap,
allowing
the
representation
of
flayed
skin.
Inspiration
for
the
crown
came
from
the
crown
of
thorns,
the
common
plant
name
for
the
Latin,
euphorbia
mili,
which
grows
in
the
Holy
Land.
It
is
big,
thick
and
has
enormous
thorns.
Before
designing
the
crucifix
the
artist
read
the
book,
A
Doctor
on
Calvary,
by
Dr.
Pierre
Barbet,
a
French
surgeon
in
the
early
20th
century
who
spent
fifteen
years
researching
exactly
what
happened
to
Christ
during
the
crucifixion.
Toparovsky
recalls,
"It
was
so
hard
to
read
because
crucifixion
is
so
brutal."
After
having
read
the
book,
he
says,
"It
was
impossible
for
me
not
to
really
feel
the
suffering,"
to
really
understand
"that
I
could
embrace
everything
that
was
hard
in
my
life,
everything
that
had
ever
been
hard
in
my
life."
This
helped
him
"to
be
the
biggest,
most
open
channel
for
portraying
Jesus
that
I
could
in
my
life."
Toparovsky
particularly
recalls
the
day
Cardinal
Roger
Mahony
and
the
Art
and
Furnishings
Committee
visited
his
studio
to
see
his
work
in
progress.
"It
was
extraordinary
really.
I
was
quite
nervous.
I
had
done
the
best
work
I've
ever
done,
but
it
could
have
been
open
for
enormous
criticism."
When
they
reached
the
studio,
Toparovsky
recalls
a
"transcendent
silence."
At
last,
the
Cardinal
clasped
his
hands
together
and
looked
at
him,
then
looked
up
and
said,
"God
bless
Simon."
Toparovsky
says,
"It
took
all
my
strength
not
to
pass
out."
The
Cardinal
then
offered
that
he
knew
very
little,
truly,
about
art
history,
but
he
"did
know
his
heart."
The
Cardinal
continued,
"I
know
that
we
are
blessed
to
have
a
piece
of
art
important
in
history
in
our
Cathedral."
Learn
more
about
the
ARTIST
