French, Limoges, second half 13th century

Overall the condition of the Cross is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The Cross has been cleaned, which has given its surface a shiny appearance. There is general wear to the gilding, including at the high points of the Corpus, and some minor greening throughout. It is possible that some elements might be associated (though they are medieval), in particular potentially the front chased metal sections, which are slightly larger than the core of the Cross. The same could be true for some of the enamelled plaques on the reverse. Some of the cabochons are replaced. The Corpus is very large and so could be associated. The lozange shaped plaque beneath the roundel on the reverse could be a later replacement; the one beneath is lost. There is some restoration to the champlevé enamelling, particularly to the plaques on the reverse; these areas mostly have a yellowish hue. There are various small losses to the enamelling, including to the blue ground at Christ's feet; to the figural applique above Him; and to small areas of the plaques on the reverse such as to the bottom of the roundel. A pin has been lost in the far right plaques on the reverse, and some of the smaller pins in the punched metal ground are lost. Some of the larger pins holding the plaques in place may be replacements.
"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 is richly set with cabochons to the front, intricate enamel plaques to the reverse, and covered in gilt copper repoussée stamped with flowers. The figure of Christ, with His slightly tilted head, inset eyes, and s-shaped curve of the body exudes a pathos which is not seen in some of the more rigid, earlier Limoges corpora. 

Comparable processional crosses were sold at Sotheby's New York and London in 2008, with the London cross providing a particularly appealing example. Notably the reverse, with its decorative plaques of the evangelists on the terminals and its diamond-shaped enamelled plaques decorated with gilt stars, compares very closely. 

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, several art historians attempted to establish stylistic links between different types of medieval Limoges enamel, in order to determine their chronology and perhaps group them within different workshops. Stohlman (op. cit.) assembled one group which he termed the 'star group' of enamels, called after the stars engraved into the copper at the front, and was further characterised by the glass cabochons, appliqué figures and enamelled plaques of stars. The crosses he saw as part of this group were further distinguished by the Christ in Majesty and plaques with the Evangelists to the reverse. The present cross therefore would easily fall within these stylistic parameters. Other Limoges processional crosses that have been classed as belonging to this group are in the Musée de Cluny, Paris (inv. no. 985) and in the Musée Mathon-Durand in Neufchâtel-en-Bray (Stohlman, op. cit.,  no. 11). Also part of this group are a chasse with scenes of Christ's Childhood in the National Museum in Copenhagen (inv. no. 9109 3e 101), and a reliquary with Saint Francis of Assisi in the Louvre, Paris (inv. no. 4083). Interestingly, this reliquary might be one of the few items within this stylistic group which could provide us with a date: Saint Francis was not canonised until 1228, when his iconography and cult started to spread. Therefore, 1228 can be taken as the terminus post quem: the date after which it had to have been made. However, since it cannot be be assumed that this was also the first item in this group, it unfortunately does not allow the present cross to be dated more accurately. Furthermore, although Stohlman did provide a useful grouping of these items, his conclusions have not generally been accepted by later art historians. 

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Rupin, L’Oevre de Limoges, Paris, 1890, pp. 286-287; W. F. Stohlman, 'The Star Group of Champlevé Enamels and its Connections', The Art Bulletin, 1950; P. Thoby, Les Croix Limousines de la Fin du XIIe Siècle au Début dus XIVe Siècle, 1953, nos 29-36; M. Gauthier, 'La croix émaillée de Bonneval au musée de Cluny', Revue du Louvre 4, 1978