France, Limoges / c. 1190
The "Spitzer Cross"
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The "Spitzer Cross" as enamel (France, Limoges · c. 1190).
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.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this enamel as copper: gilded, engraved, stippled; champlevé enamel; wood backing (modern) and credits Master of the Royal Plantagenet Workshop (French).
The museum's collection notes: 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.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe "Spitzer Cross"Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.