Altar Cross
1295–1315
- Medium
- gilt copper, champlevé enamel, gemstones, on wood core
- Dimensions
- without base: 50.2 x 39.4 cm (19 3/4 x 15 1/2 in.)
- Genre
- metalwork
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Styles
Tags
Germany or Austria, Upper Rhine, Constance, 14th century
About
This cross is traditionally said to come from the Benedictine Abbey of Meherau on Lake Constance in today’s Austria. During the 12th and 13th centuries the abbey became wealthy through the acquisition of landed property. This beautiful cross would have likely embellished one of the abbey’s many altars where it symbolized Christ’s presence in the Mass.