logo
Log in
EN
IT
FR
DE
ES
logo
EN
IT
FR
DE
ES
artsupp banner
World of Steel
Falera in silver
Slab with peacock
Lipsanoteca
Imperial portraits
The dining room of the house of Dionysus
Cross of Desire
World of Steel
Falera in silver
Slab with peacock
Lipsanoteca
Imperial portraits
The dining room of the house of Dionysus
Cross of Desire

Cross of Desire

Anonymous

Displayed in:

Santa Giulia Museum

Santa Giulia Museum

Via dei Musei, 81/b, Brescia

Closed now: open at 10:00

Verified profile

Under the star-filled firmament of Ferramola, in the upper hall of the oratory of Santa Maria in Solario, the Cross of Desiderius shines, a masterpiece of Carolingian goldsmithing dating back to the 9th century AD. The Cross, which had devotional and processional functions, represents one of the rarest liturgical specimens that have come down to us both for its considerable size and for the large quantity of precious stones, 212 in total, symmetrically scattered on the wooden supporting structure, covered with a metal sheet, with the arms dilated at the ends. A work of high goldsmithing, the Cross was to represent not only the fullness of Christian devotion to Christ the Savior but also the role of the ruling dynasties, in a continuous game of cross-references between imperial power of Roman heritage and religious yearning, unearthly glory and secular symbols. The very choice to adorn the Cross with precious stones, as was done with the imperial crown, represents a clear reference to the value and power of the Church, not second to that of the Caesar.
Read more

Details

Title: Cross of Desire

Author: Anonymous

Date: IX sec. d.C.

Technique:

Displayed in: Santa Giulia Museum

Exhibitions

about the artist

All ongoing and upcoming exhibitions where there are works by

Other works

at Brescia

Related Searches

See more