Doe and Hope

Description

The good quality heavy bronze cast figure, well modelled as The Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, presented robed in his blessing position, survives from the first quarter of the twentieth century.

In very good condition, the piece has expected wear and a lovely green tinted patination that comes with all good old bronzes.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart (also known as the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus) is one of the most widely practiced and well-known devotions, taking Jesus Christ's physical heart as the representation of his divine love for humanity. This devotion is predominantly used in the Catholic Church and among some high-church Anglicans and Lutherans. The devotion especially emphasizes the unmitigated love, compassion, and long-suffering of the heart of Christ towards humanity. The Sacred Heart is often depicted in Christian art as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by the lance-wound, encircled by the crown of thorns, surmounted by a cross and bleeding. Sometimes the image is shown shining within the bosom of Christ with his wounded hands pointing at the heart. The wounds and crown of thorns allude to the manner of Jesus' death, while the fire represents the transformative power of divine love.

If not for the mantelpiece then, Our Lord, what a great paper-weight this would make.