Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sacred Silver & Stained Glass, Room 84, The Whiteley Galleries

Cross

ca. 1200 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The core belief of Christianity is human salvation through Christ’s death on the cross and his Resurrection. The cross therefore has long been the central symbol of Christianity and a focus of veneration.

According to the Gospels, Christ was stripped of his clothes to be crucified, but medieval artists seldom showed him naked. In this depiction, as was common in the early Middle Ages, Christ wears a long tunic and a crown to symbolise his kingship and triumph over death. The skull engraved below the cross alludes to Golgotha (‘the place of the skull’), by tradition the site of both the Crucifixion and Adam’s burial.

The cross is inscribed with the sacred monogram ‘IHS’ (a contraction of the name Jesus Christ in Greek).


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Copper-gilt, enamel and precious stones
Brief description
Cross with Corpus figure, copper with enamel and beads, France, Limoges, ca.1200
Physical description
Crucifix. Copper, champleve in coloured enamels and precious stones; the figure of Our Lord is in relief and is nailed to the cross. At the top is engraved the hand of the Almighty Father and at the foot is Adam's skull.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11in
  • Width: 6.5in
Gallery label
Cross The cross here is inscribed with the sacred monogram ‘IHS’ (a contraction of the name Jesus Christ in Greek). The core belief of Christianity is human salvation through Christ’s death on the cross and his Resurrection. The cross therefore has long been the central symbol of Christianity and a focus of veneration. According to the Gospels, Christ was stripped of his clothes to be crucified, but medieval artists seldom showed him naked. In this depiction, as was common in the early Middle Ages, Christ wears a long tunic and a crown to symbolise his kingship and triumph over death. The skull engraved below the cross alludes to Golgotha (‘the place of the skull’), by tradition the site of both the Crucifixion and Adam’s burial. Limoges, France, about 1200. Copper alloy, with enamel and glass beads (originally attached to a wooden core). Museum no. 834-1891(27/10/2005)
Historical context
IMAGES OF THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST

Man's salvation through Christ's death on the cross and resurrection is the core belief of Christianity. From the earliest times the cross became the archetypal symbol of the religion.

The figures of Christ in this display would all originally have been fitted to metal crosses and used for veneration on the altar or carried in procession. The crosses themselves have been lost or melted down but the figures have been preserved, probably for their artistic and spiritual value.

Throughout the Middle Ages the image of Christ underwent a remarkable evolution, reflecting the gradually changing theology of Christ. The Gospels tell of him being stripped of his clothes to be crucified, but artists never depicted him naked. Early examples project an image in full length tunic or long skirt, eyes open, wearing a royal crown and epitomising the concept of his kingship and triumph over death. From about 1200 western artists focused on Christ's human suffering and depicted him in death, or dying, broken and tormented.
Subject depicted
Summary
The core belief of Christianity is human salvation through Christ’s death on the cross and his Resurrection. The cross therefore has long been the central symbol of Christianity and a focus of veneration.

According to the Gospels, Christ was stripped of his clothes to be crucified, but medieval artists seldom showed him naked. In this depiction, as was common in the early Middle Ages, Christ wears a long tunic and a crown to symbolise his kingship and triumph over death. The skull engraved below the cross alludes to Golgotha (‘the place of the skull’), by tradition the site of both the Crucifixion and Adam’s burial.

The cross is inscribed with the sacred monogram ‘IHS’ (a contraction of the name Jesus Christ in Greek).
Bibliographic reference
Pacha-Miran, François. 'Un nouvel élément du corpus des "Christ à la tunique": le crucifix de la collection Jean Gazeau'. Revue Archéologique de Bordeaux, vol. 107 (2016), pp. 59-77.
Collection
Accession number
834-1891

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Record createdMarch 4, 2005
Record URL
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