Haitian Croix-des-Bouquets Steel Drum Nativity Triptych, Signed

Every cut was made by hand — a chisel, a hammer, a steel drum flattened and marked out, the figures emerging from recycled oil drum steel one punched dot at a time. This is the Croix-des-Bouquets method: the tradition Georges Liautaud launched in Haiti in the 1950s, now held in folk art collections internationally. The three-panel triptych format puts Mary and Joseph at center under a spread of hammered stars, two crowned Magi arriving from the left with gifts and a star, a third Magi on the right carrying a cross-topped staff — donkey, ox, and a smaller animal completing the stable scene. Functional steel hinges let the piece stand free at an angle or fold flat.

What makes it worth stopping for is the surface. Dense hand-punched dot fields, scrollwork, wave borders — every figure and frame covered in it, with cut-through negative space giving the arched panels the feel of dark lace held up to the light. The reverse of the central panel bears a stamped maker's signature reading "Jn Marie S—"; the surname trails off at the edge. Purchased December 2019 from Silver Assets, Mesilla, NM; original invoice on file.

CONDITION

Good. Even patina across all three panels with raised repoussé surfaces intact throughout. Hinges are functional; panels fold and stand as intended. Minor surface handling marks consistent with age and material.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall Height: 17"
• Each Panel Width: 11"
• Format: 3-panel folding triptych, free-standing
• Material: Recycled steel oil drum, hand-cut and repoussé-worked
• Signature: Stamped "Jn Marie S—" on reverse of central panel (surname partially legible)
• Origin: Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti
• Purchased: December 2019, Silver Assets, Mesilla, NM — $151.46 (invoice on file)
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included