Crucifix

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.

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."

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