Ceremonial Cross of Countess Gertrude
This precious gold cross was commissioned by Countess Gertrude (died 1077) and given to the church of Saint Blaise following the death of her husband, Count Liudolf of Brunswick (died 1038). The cross was intended to be carried in liturgical processions or to be placed on a church altar. The inclusion of relics within the crosses endowed them with an additional role as devotional objects. At the center of the four cross arms, fine but much damaged cloisonné enamel plaques represent the symbols of the four Evangelists--an eagle for Saint John (above); a lion for Saint Mark (on the left); an ...
Details
- Palette
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- Dimensions
- overall: height 0.242 m, width 0.216 m; No Extent Specified: height 0.301 m, width 0.213 m, depth 0.029 m
- Department
- Medieval Art
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund with the addition of a gift from Mrs. Edward B. Greene
Art Genome Taxonomy
12 tags
Styles and Movements
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Medieval Art Metadata · 99%
The Cleveland Museum of Art classifies the object as Medieval Art and dates it to the 11th century.
Visual Qualities
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Highly Ornamented Visual · 99%
The surface is densely covered with scrolling gold filigree, inset stones, pearls, enamel plaques, and raised decorative details.
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Symmetrical Visual · 96%
The four-armed structure and repeated arrangement of stones and ornament establish strong bilateral and cross-axis symmetry.
Medium and Techniques
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Relief Metadata · 95%
Gold worked in repoussé produces raised ornament, which is visible across the surface of the cross.
Time Periods
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1000 - 1400 CE Art Metadata · 99%
The stated date, 1038 or shortly after, falls within the 1000–1400 CE period.
Geographic Regions
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German Art Metadata · 84%
The catalog gives the place of origin as Germany, with Lower Saxony qualified by a question mark.
Materials
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Gold Metadata · 99%
The listed medium is gold worked in repoussé, and the image is dominated by a gold-colored metal surface.
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Enamel Metadata · 99%
The listed medium includes cloisonné enamel, and enamel plaques are visible on the four arms.
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Gemstone Both · 99%
The catalog identifies a large sapphire and numerous precious and semiprecious stones; the image visibly shows many mounted stones in varied colors and shapes.
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Wood Metadata · 98%
The museum lists a wood core as part of the object's medium, although it is not visible in the front-facing image.
Cultural and Religious Styles
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Christian Art and Architecture Both · 99%
The object is a Christian liturgical cross; the image visibly shows a cross with four Evangelist plaques, while the catalog describes relics and Christian imagery.
Antiquities, Artifacts, and Religious Objects
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Ceremonial Object Metadata · 99%
The museum identifies the work as a ceremonial cross intended for liturgical processions or placement on a church altar.
Source & rights
Unknown artist. Ceremonial Cross of Countess Gertrude. Cleveland Museum of Art.