Cleveland Museum of Art

Altar Cross

Date

c. 1300–1310

Medium

gilt copper, champlevé enamel, gemstones, on wood core

Culture

Germany or Austria, Upper Rhine, Constance, 14th century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.