Sep 12, 2023
Mar 2, 2007
Mar 2, 2007
Sep 12, 2023
Sep 12, 2023

The "Spitzer Cross"

The "Spitzer Cross"

c. 1190

Copper: gilded, engraved, stippled; champlevé enamel

Overall: 67.4 x 41.9 x 0.2 cm (26 9/16 x 16 1/2 x 1/16 in.)

Gift of J. H. Wade 1923.1051

Description

This fine enameled cross is named the "Spitzer Cross" after the Viennese art dealer and collector Baron Frédéric Spitzer, who owned it in the 19th century. It has justly been hailed as the finest Limoges enameled cross to survive. The work’s coloration exemplifies its refined craftsmanship. Rendered in white enamel, with fine lines defining the rib cage, abdomen, and muscles, Christ’s body contrasts strikingly with the vibrant green, blue, and yellow of his halo, loincloth, and the cross.

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