Cross
ca. 1300 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The cross is the central emblem of Christianity and the symbol of Christ’s Crucifixion. It first appeared about 350, possibly for use in private prayer. Until about 1000 the custom was to suspend a cross above the altar, or to place it alongside, but later the cross was generally put directly on the altar. Crosses were also carried in procession before a service, and on ceremonial occasions such as funerals.
The imagery of European crosses usually included the symbols of the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), often with the Virgin Mary and St John flanking the figure of Christ. This example is unusual in including an angel waving incense over the crucified Christ.
Both altar and processional crosses were generally made of precious or gilded metal, or ivory, and decorated with gems. Crosses like this one may have been produced in multiples, since the figures are stamped out and could easily have been repeated.
The imagery of European crosses usually included the symbols of the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), often with the Virgin Mary and St John flanking the figure of Christ. This example is unusual in including an angel waving incense over the crucified Christ.
Both altar and processional crosses were generally made of precious or gilded metal, or ivory, and decorated with gems. Crosses like this one may have been produced in multiples, since the figures are stamped out and could easily have been repeated.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver gilt and wood |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt on wood, Italy, ca.1300 |
| Physical description | Silver gilt on a wooden foundation. Arms ending in quatrefoils in squares; embossed, front with demi- figure of a censing angel and the Virgin and St. John on eitherside of the Crucifix and an angel holding a spherical handwarmer (?) below. Back, full length figure of the Redeemer between the symbols of the evangelists. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh |
| Object history | Hildburgh Bequest |
| Historical context | Altar and Processional Crosses The cross is the distinctive emblem of Christianity and the symbol of Christ's crucifixion. Models of the cross begin to appear from about 350 AD, probably for use in private prayer. Only from about 1000 was a cross regularly placed on the altar during Mass; a more ancient custom was to suspend a cross above the altar or to place one beside it. Crosses were also carried in procession before a service. In early centuries these were hand-held, later replaced by more visible crosses raised on staffs. Both altar and processional crosses were generally made of precious or gilt metal, or ivory, and decorated with gems. From about 800 they were adorned with the image of the crucified Christ and became known as crucifixes. By about 1100 the iconography of European crosses had become established, usually including the symbols of the four Evangelists, often with the Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist flanking the figure of Christ crucified. |
| Summary | The cross is the central emblem of Christianity and the symbol of Christ’s Crucifixion. It first appeared about 350, possibly for use in private prayer. Until about 1000 the custom was to suspend a cross above the altar, or to place it alongside, but later the cross was generally put directly on the altar. Crosses were also carried in procession before a service, and on ceremonial occasions such as funerals. The imagery of European crosses usually included the symbols of the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), often with the Virgin Mary and St John flanking the figure of Christ. This example is unusual in including an angel waving incense over the crucified Christ. Both altar and processional crosses were generally made of precious or gilded metal, or ivory, and decorated with gems. Crosses like this one may have been produced in multiples, since the figures are stamped out and could easily have been repeated. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.8-1951 |
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| Record created | March 18, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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