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A cross without a figure speaks of faith – a cross with a figure speaks of a Person. That difference is why the passion figure is most often the last, closing element of a gravestone: the moment when a geometric sign becomes the image of the One to whom the family entrusts their loved one. That is why it is chosen carefully, just as one chooses the words of a last farewell.
In this category you will find Christ figures intended for existing crosses – granite, steel and wall-mounted – as well as complete crucifixes that combine the cross and figure in a single applique for the slab. We cut all of them from stainless steel; the figures are offered in as many as four sizes, from a modest 13 cm to a large 37 cm, each in four finishes.
In this guide you will find everything that helps you make this decision well: a description of the three figures and two complete crucifixes, rules for matching the size to the crossbeam, mounting and restoration tips, and answers to the questions most often asked by families and stonemasons. A passion figure is not something replaced every season, so it is worth choosing it once, and choosing it well.
Our corpus figures differ not in quality but in temperament. The classic design carries the full weight of tradition: the crown of thorns, strongly modeled body and dramatically draped loincloth – the crucifix we remember from above the doors of family homes. The slender version lifts Christ's head toward heaven and elongates the figure in the manner of the Gothic masters – it is chosen by owners of tall, modern crosses. The universal design keeps a clean, calm line and suits gravestones of any era.
The choice comes down to two questions: what the cross is like and what the deceased's sensibility was. The classic figure suits richly profiled crosses, the slender or universal one suits plain beams; the crown of thorns honors a man of tradition, a head raised in contemplation honors a man of quiet. Four sizes of each design let you keep canonical proportions regardless of the scale of the cross.
Not every gravestone has a cross – contemporary slabs often rely on a clean plane of granite. For them we created complete crucifixes: the cross and figure cut together, in proportions set once and for all, ready to be mounted directly on the plaque or the tomb wall. The variant with an openwork beam lets the stone background show through the sign and looks modern; the variant with solid beams shines with the whole surface of steel, like a traditional household crucifix.
One appliqué also means one installation – no positioning of the figure against the beam, no risk of tilting, no joints that could weaken over time. This solution is especially valued for family tombs, where a crucifix hung centrally on the wall organizes the whole composition of names below.
The corpus of Christ is one of the oldest forms of European sculpture: Romanesque masters worked it in bronze, severe and hieratic; the Gothic made the figure slimmer and bowed the head in pain; the Baroque added drama to the folds of the loincloth. Our three designs consciously draw on these eras – the classic corpus carries Baroque expression, the slender one inherits the Gothic line, the universal one distills the pure essence of both. In choosing a corpus figure, you also choose the era whose language best matches the family's sensibility.
What is new is the material and the technique: instead of casting or carving – precise cutting in a sheet of stainless steel, which preserves every detail of the anatomy and drapery at a fraction of the weight of older figures. For a cross this is a fundamental difference: a flat appliqué does not load the beam, needs no anchors and creates no risk of cracking the stone, and – thanks to the play of light on polished steel – looks surprisingly three-dimensional.
Many families come to this category not when building a gravestone but when refreshing one: the old cross stands firm, but the cast-iron figure has corroded, the brass one has turned green, and where one was stolen a lighter patch remains on the granite. A new stainless steel corpus figure solves all three situations at once – it covers marks from the previous fixing, is not troubled by corrosion and, painful but practical, has no scrap value, so it does not tempt thieves the way colored metals do.
It is worth approaching renovation comprehensively: when replacing the figure, families often refresh the letters and add an INRI plaque above Christ's head – we offer all these elements in the same four finishes, so the renewed cross looks newly designed, not patched. If you send us a photo of the cross before renovation, we will advise on size and finish with no obligation.
The figure hangs on the cross at the most exposed point of the gravestone – it takes full sun, driving rain and ice. Stainless steel withstands all of it without a trace: it does not corrode like cast iron, does not tarnish like brass, does not crumble like plastics. The fixing on the beam remains invisible and secure for decades, and the only care needed is an occasional wipe.
It is worth matching the finish to the letters and other decorations on the slab: polished and satin finishes go well with silver inscriptions, gold with gilded ones, and black creates a strong contrast on light stone. If you are putting together a gravestone from scratch, also look at our images of Jesus and religious symbols – a crown of thorns above the crucifix or an IHS monogram beneath it build a coherent Passion story on the plaque.
A grave corpus figure is just the body of Christ, mounted on an existing cross of the gravestone; a crucifix in our range is a complete appliqué – the cross and figure cut together, intended for a slab or a tomb wall. If you have a cross, choose a corpus figure; if you do not, a crucifix solves it with a single installation.
The classic proportion: the height of the figure should be about half the height of the vertical beam, and the span of Christ's arms should fit within the crossbar with room to spare. With four sizes available, usually one fits perfectly; if in doubt, send us the dimensions of the cross and we will choose the exact size.
Yes – our mounting is independent of previous fixings, and the flat appliqué sits flush against the beam, covering small marks left by the old figure. This is a common renovation scenario: a new steel figure transforms an old cross without any intervention in the stone.
They do not, but the contrast should be intentional: a silver figure on a dark granite cross looks excellent, a gold one on black – solemn. However, avoid combining two different steel finishes on one cross; if the beam is steel, choose a figure in the same finish.
Yes – mounting on wood is just as secure, and once the permanent gravestone is set, the figure can be removed and moved to the final granite or steel cross. Many families do exactly that: the corpus figure accompanies a loved one from the first days and then moves with them to the permanent gravestone.
It is a matter of fidelity to the iconography: the titulus inscribed INRI historically hung above Christ's head, so it completes the crucifix theologically and visually. In our range you will find an INRI plaque in the same finishes as the figures – mounted on the upper arm of the cross, it closes the whole like a seal.
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