ticketsMember | Make a donation

Reliquary Crucifix

ca. 1125–75
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 304
Two cavities in Christ’s back originally held relics. The exquisite niello decoration, a black inlay containing sulfides of silver, copper, and lead, relate the cross to other goldsmiths’ work made in northern Spain. Whether it functioned as an altar or a processional cross or both is uncertain. The abbreviated Latin inscription identifies Christ as “Jesus of Nazarus, King of the Jews.”

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Reliquary Crucifix
  • Date: ca. 1125–75
  • Geography: Made in Spain
  • Culture: North Spanish
  • Medium: Silver, gilded silver, and niello (cross); elephant ivory with gilding (corpus)
  • Dimensions: Overall: 10 1/2 x 7 1/16 x 15/16 in. (26.7 x 18 x 2.4 cm)
    Ivory Corpus: 5 13/16 x 5 11/16 x 7/8 in. (14.8 x 14.4 x 2.2 cm)
  • Classifications: Ivories-Elephant, Metalwork-Silver
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.221
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Processional Cross, Silver, partially gilt on wood core, carved gems, jewels, Spanish
Processional Cross
Spanish
ca. 1150–75
Plaque with the Journey to Emmaus and Noli Me Tangere, Elephant ivory, traces of gilding, Spanish
Plaque with the Journey to Emmaus and Noli Me Tangere
Spanish
ca. 1115–20
Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket, Gilded silver with niello and a glass cabochon set over a tinted foil, British
Reliquary Casket with Scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket
British
ca. 1173–80
Plaque with the Descent from the Cross, Elephant ivory, whale bone, traces of paint, and gilding, French
Plaque with the Descent from the Cross
French
ca. 1320–40
Booklet with Scenes of the Passion, Elephant ivory, polychromy, and gilding, North French (carving); Upper Rhenish (painting)
Booklet with Scenes of the Passion
North French (carving); Upper Rhenish (painting)
ca. 1300 (carving); ca. 1310–20 (painting)

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.