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The Treasury of Basel Cathedral
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Branched Cross with the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist, 1350–1400 (cross; Basel); before 1477 (base; attributed to Hans Rutenzwig, Basel)
Raised, cast, engraved, and gilded silver, with translucent basse-taille enamel, pearls, and red pigment (crucifix); raised, engraved, and partially gilded silver (base); H. (crucifix) 7 1/2 in. (19 cm), with base 19 3/8 in. (49.2 cm)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Description |
Description
A generation after its creation, the small and finely worked crucifix was provided with an elaborate base, creating an ensemble of adequate stature for public display. The stand that supports the crucifix diverges at the top to support the mourning figures of the Virgin and Saint John. They are sufficiently out of scale that they appear as conduits to the contemplation of the significance of the scene rather than as witnesses to the event itself. There is no record of the circumstances under which the crucifix entered the Treasury, but the base was ordered by the cathedral chapter during the tenure of the curate Heinrich Gugelin.
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