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The "Spitzer Cross"
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe "Spitzer Cross", c. 1190. Master of the Royal Plantagenet Workshop (French). Copper: gilded, engraved, stippled; champlevé enamel; wood backing (modern); overall: 67.4 x 41.9 x 0.2 cm (26 9/16 x 16 1/2 x 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1923.1051