Auction 87 Galleons: the meeting between old and new world
Jun 8, 2021
Carrer del Comte de Salvatierra, nº8, 08006 Barcelona (Spain)

The auction has ended

LOT 7:

A large chased, engraved and gilded copper cross with champlevé enamel. Limoges. France. Romanesque. 13th century. ...


Start price:
7,500
Estimated price:
€7,500 - €8,500
Auction house commission: 22% More details
VAT: 21% On commission only
tags:

A large chased, engraved and gilded copper cross with champlevé enamel. Limoges. France. Romanesque. 13th century.  Circa 1230.
 
Imposing, large plaque on which some blue, green, yellow, red and white toned enamel is preserved.  In the centre is a hollow with the outline of the silhouette of the crucified Christ, on which the appliqué figure,  which is not preserved,  would have been.   
The Christogram IHS is in the upper part of the cross.  The unusual dimensions of this cross are also an interesting feature.  
Due to its similarity, this piece can be related to the cross in the former "Keir Collection, " which appeared published in: "Medieval enamels: masterpieces from the Keir Collection” by Marie-Madeleine Gauthier and G. François. London. British Museum. Publications, 1981, nº 2.  
The Episcopal Museum of Vic, Spain, has a similar, though smaller cross in its collection, measuring, 21,6 x 11,6 cm, which formed the central part of a gospel book.  Reference MEV 181. 
Also, the Museu Marés in Barcelona has three similar plaques among its collections, dating from the 13th century, although they are of a smaller size.  Two of them, with inventory number MFM 690 and MFM 691, like the this one, are missing the appliqué figure of Christ.   
A final example with the same structure but with the appliqué Christ preserved, can be found in the Church of Saint Stephen Altarpiece Museum in Burgos, it originally came from the Church of Terrazas de la Sierra (Burgos).  
33,5 x 21,2 cm.