The bronze Rucki crucifixes come in two main forms, one far more common than the other. The usual one comes in three main sizes with the corpus (body of Christ) approx. 5 inches tall, 8 inches tall, and about 14 inches. The 5" sells about $150, the 8" about $500 - $700, and the 14" about 1,200 - $1700 range. At well publicised auctions, his crucifixes sometimes fetch more than this. Rucki items appear fairly regularly on Ebay. Most of the crucifixes date from 1930 -1940. After a corpus was cast it was sent out to be affixed to a simple cross - usually rosewood. Rucki and others in the Paris Art Academy moved beyond the endless repitition of renaissance and baroque literalism by recapturing and updating Romanesque forms.
The figure of the Christ from the French-Polish artist Jean Lambert-Rucki (1888-1967) who was part of the art community in Montparnasse, Paris (Modigliani, Soutine, Kisling ...) and Art Deco, for instance through his collaboration with Dunand appear on wood and bronze crucifixes.
His workshop produced numerous large and small Christ figures, in wood or bronze, especially for so-called ?reconstruction? churches - that is, built again after massive WWI destructions in Northern France.
The Christ is treated in a neo-Romanesque way, with deep ridges marking the body. The minimalist drapery is modern. The geometrical head display medieval and modern influences. Enjoy a fine crucifix. Dave Rogerson
Rating
Rosary Beads & Crucifix by: Anonymous
I have a J. Lambert-Rucki Rosary with Crucifix. The beads are black, not sure what they are made of. The back of the cross is marked J. Lambert-Rucki France. Any idea of the value? Thanks for your time
Rating
j lambert ricki "rosary"? by: Anonymous
I too have a 10 wooded bead rosary? With an eleventh "miracle" bead and on the back is j lambert ricki. Was wondering what it might be worth and of its age.
Thank you Patty
Rating
Jean Lambert-Rucki Artist Information by: Anonymous
Hi Rebecca thank you for your question. This particular rosary, is a collector's item. We would love to see a photo of your rosary if possible. You can up load a photo in a follow-up submission if you like.
Now. OK. Jean Lambert-Rucki -1888 - 1967 was in fact Polish by birth.
Lambert-Rucki was born in Cracow, Poland in 1888. He studied at the Fine Arts Academy of Cracow before he moved to Paris in 1911. He was mobilized in World War One, after the war he settled in the Montparnasse district. He became a naturalized French citizen in 1932.
In Paris he associated with his friend, also born in Cracow, Poland - Moise Kisling, along with artist- Modigliani, Soutine, and the other artists of Montparnasse!
(In Artist search, I also discovered another American artist by the name of Jean Lambert, not to be confused with Jean Lambert-Rucki).
