French, Limoges, 13th century

Private European collection

Overall the condition of the Cross is good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. It seems likely that a few champlevé enamelled panels have been lost, and the remaining ones remounted subsequently, one of the terminals remains to the reverse and the top and right terminals on the obverse may have belonged to the reverse originally. There is wear to the gilding throughout: on the Corpus it survives at the neck, faces and lower points. There are some small losses to the enamelling, including to the obverse to the: left cross terminal; upper terminal; and to bottom of the Crucifix panel. There are some more minor losses to the enamelling to the reverse, including around the pins on the central roundel. There is some greening to the punched copper sheets. The applique to the left terminal on the obverse is lost. One of the quatrefoils on the reverse is lost and several pins are lost to both sides (both in the champlevé panels and in the later copper sheeting). Part of the copper sheeting at the sides of the Cross towards the bottom is lost and replaced with non-punched sheeting. The glass appliques to the obverse set over scarlet cloth appear to be later, whereas the top crystal is medieval.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This impressive Processional Cross compares with another in the church of Menussac, which similarly is composed of champlevé enamelled panels, laid upon a wood core with metal foil adorned with foliate motifs (see Thoby, op. cit., no. 61). To the reverse there is similarly a beautiful roundel with Christ in Majesty. Thoby dates the Cross to the middle of the 13th century and categorises the Corpus, which is close to the present example, as his second type, variety B.

The copper applied panels with traces of gilding on the present Cross are decorated with punched rosace shapes also found on caskets dating from the late 12th and 13th centuries. For further examples of punched decoration compare with the Chateauroux casket illustrated by Gauthier (op. cit.).

RELATED LITERATURE:
P. Thoby, Les croix Limousines de la fin du XIIe sècle au début du XIVe sècle, Paris, 1953, pp. 124-125, no. 61, pl. XXX; M. M. Gauthier, Emaux Meriodonaux, Catalogue International de L'Oeuvre de Limoges, L'Epoque Romane, Paris, 1987, fig 868