altar-cross;
crucifix;
relic;
reliquary
- Museum number
- 1911,0621.1
- Description
-
Altar cross, crucifix; silver gilt, enamel, rock crystal, wood. The crucifix comprising pierced panels of ciruclar, gadrooned tracery, terminating in trilobed enamelled plaques all with a blue ground, all edges with trefoil cresting. On the front, the applied corpus figure of Christ partially gilded, the square plate behind with quatrefoil motif, engraved and enamelled; the upper trilobed plaque with the arms of Velasco and three saltire cross for St Andrew, the lower plaque with the arms of Velasco and two saltire crosses for St Andrew; the right plaque with the figure of St John the Evangelist with inscribed scroll, the left with the figure of the kneeling Virgin. On the reverse, at centre, a circular disc of rock crystal enclosing a gold cross engraved 'ecce crucem dni', and with a wooden relic of the True Cross; the upper plaque with the eagle symbol of St John with identifying scroll, the lower with the man symbol of St Matthew with identifying scroll, the right plaque with the ox symbol of St Luke with identifying scroll, the left with the lion symbol of St Mark with identifying scroll. The hexagonal architectonic stem in two registers. the upper register with figures of the Apostles, divided by buttressing, with blue and green enamelled ground; the lower register with figures of the Virgin and saints within niches with blue and green enamelled ground. The hexagonal incurved foot with edges stamped with quatrefoil motif; two applied shaped enamel plaques, one with the saltire cross for St Andrew on a green ground, the other with the Velasco arms on a blue ground.
- Production date
- 1450-1550 (with some later additions)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 435 millimetres
-
Width: 245 millimetres
-
Depth: 130 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- See van Bellegem, Roehrs, McLeod 2008 for a full discussion of the Vera Cruz set
- Bibliographic references
-
Santa Clara 2004 / El Monasterio de Santa Clara de Medina de Pomar Fundación y Patronazgo de la Casa de Velasco (Chapter XI, pp. 331-360)
-
Barrón García 1998 / La Época Dorada de la Platería Burgalesa 1400-1600 (Vol. I, pp. 84, 196)
-
Cherry 1992 / Medieval Craftsmen: Goldsmiths (fig. 51)
-
Porres Fernandez 1989 / El Hospital de la Vera Cruz de Medina de Pomar (a. 1438) Fundación, Dotación, Ordenanzas
-
van Bellegem et al 2008 / A Spanish Medieval altar 'set': new investigation and assessment of its date and manufacture (p.67-76, p.68, fig.1, p.69, fig.2, p.70, fig.3, p.72, fig.7, p.73, table.1)
- Location
- On display (G40/dc4)
- Acquisition date
- 1911
- Acquisition notes
- Said to have been given by Don Pedro Fernandez de Velasco to the Hospital de la Vera Cruz at Medina de Pomar near Burgos.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1911,0621.1
