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Essen cross with large enamels
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Essen cross with large enamels
The Cross with large enamels, or Senkschmelz Cross, known in German as the Senkschmelzen-Kreuz or the Kreuz mit den großen Senkschmelzen (Cross with large senkschmelz enamels), is a processional cross in the Essen Cathedral Treasury which was created under Mathilde, Abbess of Essen. The name refers to its principal decorations, five unusually large enamel plaques made using the senkschmelz technique, a form of cloisonné which looks forward to champlevé enamel, with a recessed area in enamel surrounded by a plain gold background, and distinguishes it from three other crosses of the crux gemmata type at Essen. The cross is considered one of the masterpieces of Ottonian goldsmithing.
The original part of the cross is 46 cm high and 33 cm wide, with a core made of oak excluding the later fitting at the base. It is a Latin cross with block-shaped ends. These appear similar to the cubic capitals which were popular in architecture around the year 1000. The front of the cross is covered with a highly decorated gold sheet, the back, with one of gilded copper, later in date, which is engraved and partly decorated in relief. The cross is a pure crux gemmata, in which the senkshmelz plaque at the centre shows the Crucifixion of Jesus. The Cross with large enamels is closely related to three other processional crosses in Essen, two of which, the Cross of Otto and Mathilde and the Cross of Mathilde were also donated by Abbess Mathilde. Just like the oldest of these, the Cross of Otto and Mathilde, it has an internal cross, surrounded by a border. While the border of the older cross is composed of gemstones each accompanied by two pearls, the border of the Cross with large enamels also included 24 small enamels (of which 21 still survive), which alternate with gemstones each accompanied by four pearls. The area of the Cross with large enamels inside the border is decorated with skilfully doubled filigree, gemstones, pearls arranged in the shape of crosses and an ancient cameo. On the cameo is a head of Medusa, technically referred to as a Gorgoneion. It is sardonyx and was made in the first half of the first century AD. The cameo is worked in three layers (grey-brown, white, and gold-brown) and has a maximum diameter of 2.7 cm. The cameo might be taken in reference to Psalm 91.13 as symbolic of evil's defeat by the saviour.
The name of the cross derives from the five large pieces of senkschmelz enamel at the extremities of the members, and in the crossing. In the centre of the Cross there is a slightly oblong plaque with a depiction of the crucifixion: Christ is on the cross with his head inclined to the left and his eyes wide open. Mary and John (identified on the basis of his contemplative gesture) stand on either side. Above the horizontal arms of the Cross, personifications of the Sun and Moon watch the events. The enamel is surrounded by tiny pearls and due to its size it extends a little above and below the horizontal arm of the cross.
At the ends of the members of the cross, inside a simplified border of gemstones, which matches the border of the cross' arms, four further large, irregularly shaped senkschmelz panels are found with the symbols of the Four Evangelists: at top the eagle of John, at bottom the winged man of Matthew, at right the winged bull of Luke and at left the winged lion of Mark. These large senkschmelz panels are unusually large for European work (as opposed to Byzantine) and of high technical and artistic quality, which is visible in the rich colours and fine delineation of the wings.
The back plate of the Cross was replaced in the twelfth century and depicts the Tree of Life. In the expanded space at the ends of the cross there are four chased medallions depicting angels and in the centre there is a medallion depicting the Agnus Dei.
The Cross is universally dated to around 1000 by scholars. This dating is based firstly on the motifs of the 21 small enamels of the border, which bear floral and carpet-like patterns, which arose around the turn of the millennium, and secondly on the framing of the stones and border enamels which seems to derive from the Cross of Otto and Mathilde (dated to around 982).
The irregular form of the Evangelist plaques is conspicuous, as is the fact that the central plaque does not fit neatly to its position. These plaques were created around 1000. However, on the grounds of their similarly irregular shape, these plaques were probably created for another context and later incorporated into the Cross, which was considerably altered as a result. For this purpose, the plaques of the Evangelists, whose composition betrays Byzantine influence, were recut. Therefore, their irregular shape stressed the fact that they were spolia. In order to fit these plaques, the original border of the ends and centre of the Cross was simplified to the current form.
Beuckers dated this remodelling to the time of Abbess Sophia. In this remodelling, the collars of the ends of the cross became pointless and the goldsmith responsible for the remodelling concealed them with spiral-shaped filigree wire, known as Bienenkörbe (beehives). This ornamental motif came into vogue in the reign of Henry II (r. 1014–1024), along with another type of filigree decoration, the Blütenkronen (corollae) which also appears on the ends of this cross (uniquely among the pieces in the Essen Cathedral Treasury). Sophia had been appointed Abbess of Essen by Henry II and was close to him, which might have given her the opportunity to employ one of his goldsmiths. Neither Bienenkörbe nor Blütenkronen appear on the treasures which Sophia's successor Theophanu had made (presumably at another workshop), so Beuckers excludes her as the person responsible for the creation of the Cross with large enamels. It is not known why Sophia had a sacral object which had been created by her predecessor Mathilde remodelled and had another, apparently significant artwork of her own incorporated into it.
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Essen cross with large enamels
The Cross with large enamels, or Senkschmelz Cross, known in German as the Senkschmelzen-Kreuz or the Kreuz mit den großen Senkschmelzen (Cross with large senkschmelz enamels), is a processional cross in the Essen Cathedral Treasury which was created under Mathilde, Abbess of Essen. The name refers to its principal decorations, five unusually large enamel plaques made using the senkschmelz technique, a form of cloisonné which looks forward to champlevé enamel, with a recessed area in enamel surrounded by a plain gold background, and distinguishes it from three other crosses of the crux gemmata type at Essen. The cross is considered one of the masterpieces of Ottonian goldsmithing.
The original part of the cross is 46 cm high and 33 cm wide, with a core made of oak excluding the later fitting at the base. It is a Latin cross with block-shaped ends. These appear similar to the cubic capitals which were popular in architecture around the year 1000. The front of the cross is covered with a highly decorated gold sheet, the back, with one of gilded copper, later in date, which is engraved and partly decorated in relief. The cross is a pure crux gemmata, in which the senkshmelz plaque at the centre shows the Crucifixion of Jesus. The Cross with large enamels is closely related to three other processional crosses in Essen, two of which, the Cross of Otto and Mathilde and the Cross of Mathilde were also donated by Abbess Mathilde. Just like the oldest of these, the Cross of Otto and Mathilde, it has an internal cross, surrounded by a border. While the border of the older cross is composed of gemstones each accompanied by two pearls, the border of the Cross with large enamels also included 24 small enamels (of which 21 still survive), which alternate with gemstones each accompanied by four pearls. The area of the Cross with large enamels inside the border is decorated with skilfully doubled filigree, gemstones, pearls arranged in the shape of crosses and an ancient cameo. On the cameo is a head of Medusa, technically referred to as a Gorgoneion. It is sardonyx and was made in the first half of the first century AD. The cameo is worked in three layers (grey-brown, white, and gold-brown) and has a maximum diameter of 2.7 cm. The cameo might be taken in reference to Psalm 91.13 as symbolic of evil's defeat by the saviour.
The name of the cross derives from the five large pieces of senkschmelz enamel at the extremities of the members, and in the crossing. In the centre of the Cross there is a slightly oblong plaque with a depiction of the crucifixion: Christ is on the cross with his head inclined to the left and his eyes wide open. Mary and John (identified on the basis of his contemplative gesture) stand on either side. Above the horizontal arms of the Cross, personifications of the Sun and Moon watch the events. The enamel is surrounded by tiny pearls and due to its size it extends a little above and below the horizontal arm of the cross.
At the ends of the members of the cross, inside a simplified border of gemstones, which matches the border of the cross' arms, four further large, irregularly shaped senkschmelz panels are found with the symbols of the Four Evangelists: at top the eagle of John, at bottom the winged man of Matthew, at right the winged bull of Luke and at left the winged lion of Mark. These large senkschmelz panels are unusually large for European work (as opposed to Byzantine) and of high technical and artistic quality, which is visible in the rich colours and fine delineation of the wings.
The back plate of the Cross was replaced in the twelfth century and depicts the Tree of Life. In the expanded space at the ends of the cross there are four chased medallions depicting angels and in the centre there is a medallion depicting the Agnus Dei.
The Cross is universally dated to around 1000 by scholars. This dating is based firstly on the motifs of the 21 small enamels of the border, which bear floral and carpet-like patterns, which arose around the turn of the millennium, and secondly on the framing of the stones and border enamels which seems to derive from the Cross of Otto and Mathilde (dated to around 982).
The irregular form of the Evangelist plaques is conspicuous, as is the fact that the central plaque does not fit neatly to its position. These plaques were created around 1000. However, on the grounds of their similarly irregular shape, these plaques were probably created for another context and later incorporated into the Cross, which was considerably altered as a result. For this purpose, the plaques of the Evangelists, whose composition betrays Byzantine influence, were recut. Therefore, their irregular shape stressed the fact that they were spolia. In order to fit these plaques, the original border of the ends and centre of the Cross was simplified to the current form.
Beuckers dated this remodelling to the time of Abbess Sophia. In this remodelling, the collars of the ends of the cross became pointless and the goldsmith responsible for the remodelling concealed them with spiral-shaped filigree wire, known as Bienenkörbe (beehives). This ornamental motif came into vogue in the reign of Henry II (r. 1014–1024), along with another type of filigree decoration, the Blütenkronen (corollae) which also appears on the ends of this cross (uniquely among the pieces in the Essen Cathedral Treasury). Sophia had been appointed Abbess of Essen by Henry II and was close to him, which might have given her the opportunity to employ one of his goldsmiths. Neither Bienenkörbe nor Blütenkronen appear on the treasures which Sophia's successor Theophanu had made (presumably at another workshop), so Beuckers excludes her as the person responsible for the creation of the Cross with large enamels. It is not known why Sophia had a sacral object which had been created by her predecessor Mathilde remodelled and had another, apparently significant artwork of her own incorporated into it.
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