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Processional Cross
(Medieval Europe )
The solid-cast body of Christ, whose head is surrounded by an engraved, cruciform halo, hangs on the cross between repoussé medallions of the Virgin (left) and St. John (right). Once covered by a rock crystal, the rectangle over Christ's head was designed to hold a relic, perhaps of the True Cross. An angel hovers above, and the skull of Adam appears at the bottom in a reference to man's redemption through the sacrifice of Christ. All four medallions are rimmed with battlemented borders like the stamped coins of the period. On the reverse of the cross is Christ in Majesty surrounded by the symbols of the four Evangelists.
The simple but forceful rendering of Christ's head and upper torso gives the figure a sense of solemn, Romanesque monumentality which belies its small size.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Acquired from Henri Daguerre, Paris before 1931
Exhibitions
| 2002-2005 | Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
| 2001-2002 | Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
Geographies
Lower Rhine (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 16 1/2 x W: 8 3/8 x D: 1 1/4 in. (41.9 x 21.3 x 3.2 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters before 1931
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
53.15