Brass Jesus Wall Plaque

Any help with what AOMO and the other symbols are? Possible age and country of origin?
Thanks

 

The passion and suffering of Christ is a common image, of course, but traditionally the iconography had him either with his eyes closed (dead) or looking to heaven. This looks like it comes after the "Jesus Christ, Superstar" era, when the whole thing became less about God and more about the man. so 1970's or later, IMO. He may be suffering, but I don't see much passion in it.

The AoMo could be A. M. - initials? This Christ also looks like he has a rather serious overbite.

 

I think perhaps the artist has portrayed the mouth that way to evoke remembrance of the severe thirst at that point in time. Dehydration causes the tongue to swell in the oral cavity, and, as it fills the oral cavity, there can be a perception of a misshapen mouth and teeth.

 

The "symbols" read ECCE HOMO - Latin usually translated as "Behold the Man".

Depicting the humanity of Christ has always been a major point in artistic representations. (That's why the baby Jesus is often pictured with his pud showing.) It simultaneously combats the heresy that Jesus was only divine, not man, and (along with depicting him as a member of the artist's own race) reminds the viewer that he was "one of us".

20th century, likely 1950s or later, but that's as far as I'll venture datewise.

 

It's a nice casting job, but not old. I'd say 70s or later from the design and color of the metal.

 

I think it is bronze rather than brass.

 

Thanks for the replies. I will have to examine it closer for marks, maybe the artist left his signature somewhere.
I am not sure if it is brass or bronze and I don't know how to tell. Brass is usually goldish in color and bronze redish brown. Both colors are present on the sculpture so I guess a finish was applied but not sure which one is the base alloy. The back is almost black with reddish and purple shades but I have not seen brass neither bronze turning this color.

 

I don't think there's an easy way to differentiate between the two. Hardness tests might work, but who has the wherewithal? You can't count on color as there are various different alloys of the constituent metals for each. I've seen pieces cast in bronze that looked almost silver before patination.

 

On the back at the bottom where the finish is worn off from touching wall or table, metal looks gray, more like pot metal than a copper alloy. Scrape on that with a steel knife or screwdriver and then see what it looks like.