Large, gilded copper cross with champlevé enamel. Limoges. France. Romanesque. Circa 1170 - 1190.

Large, gilded copper cross with champlevé enamel. Limoges. France. Romanesque. Circa 1170 - 1190.

Large and imposing central plaque of a cross made of gilded copper, decorated with champlevé enamel in lapis lazuli blue, turquoise, navy blue, green, red, yellow and white tones. The decorative elements are concentric circles, two rosettes and a four-lobed flower. In the centre is an engraved and gilded Christ on the cross, with a halo which combines gilding with three red enamel sections. On the upper part of the cross is the Christogram IHS. An outstanding feature of this cross is its unusually large size.

Due to its similarity, this piece can be related to the cross in the former "Keir Collection", which appeared in the publication: "Medieval enamels: masterpieces from the Keir Collection" by Marie-Madeleine Gauthier and G. François. London. British Museum. Publications, 1981, nº 2. There is a similar cross at the Frederic Mares Museum in Barcelona, although it is smaller.

There is another similar example, except the figure of Christ is affixed, in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum collection.

A third example, also with an affixed figure of Christ, but with the same structure, can be found at the Altarpiece Museum in Burgos. It originally came from the Terrazas de la Sierra Church (Burgos).

Provenance: Acquired at Sotheby's on 16/ 6/1983, lot nº 2.

35,5 x 19 cm. Medieval Art.