Hezilo Cross

before 1079

Not on view

Returned to lender

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

In the center of the cross is a small compartment that opens to reveal a relic of Christ. Its cover depicts Christ with his arms outstretched in prayer, a figure known as an orant. The compartment is a fourteenthcentury addition; the relic was originally kept at the base of the cross’s shaft. The preciousness of the materials adorning the cross reflects the spiritual significance of the relic it contains.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Hezilo Cross
Date: before 1079
Culture: German (Hildesheim)
Medium: Gold, copper, pearls, and gems; wood core covered with silk
Dimensions: Overall: 9 9/16 x 7 9/16 in. (24.3 x 19.2 cm)
Classification: Metalwork-Gold
Credit Line: Dom-Museum Hildesheim, on loan from the collegiate church Zum Heiligen Kreuz in Hildesheim (DS L 113)
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters