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Triptych Reliquary of the Cross

ca. 1160–70

Not on view

Christ in the heavens presides over the End of Days, when angels sound trumpets awakening the dead and a benevolent Justice weighs their souls, with Mercy and Piety acting as advocates. Angels representing Truth and Judgment once guarded a now-lost relic of the Cross, but the entire scene is framed as a treasure, kept safely hidden until the beholder folds back the doors.

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan

Triptych Reliquary of the Cross, Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal, Mosan

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This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Triptych Reliquary of the Cross

Date: ca. 1160–70

Geography: Made in probably Liège, Meuse Valley, present-day Belgium

Culture: Mosan

Medium: Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, émail brun, and rock crystal

Dimensions: Open: 10 5/8 × 11 1/2 in. (27 × 29.2 cm)

Classification: Metalwork-Copper

Credit Line: Private Collection, UK

The Met

Medieval Art and The Cloisters at The Met

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world, encompassing the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome to the beginning of the Renaissance.