Head of the Crozier of Bishop Johannes I

ca. 1257–60

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

This snakelike crozier head, a traditional symbol of pastoral office for bishops and abbots, was found beneath the floor of the nave of Hildesheim Cathedral in the grave of Bishop Johannes I (r. 1257–60) in 1953. The form of a serpent not only lends itself to the curled head of the staff but also references the brazen serpent Moses employed to heal the Israelites (Numbers 21:4–9). The shaft, most likely made of wood, is lost.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Head of the Crozier of Bishop Johannes I
Date: ca. 1257–60
Culture: German (Hildesheim (?))
Medium: Copper alloy
Dimensions: Height with pin: 7 11/16 in. (19.5 cm); Width: 3 9/16 in. (9 cm)
Classification: Metalwork-Copper alloy
Credit Line: Dom-Museum HIldesheim (D 1978–44)
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters