This precious gold cross was commissioned by Countess Gertrude (died 1077) and given to the church of Saint Blaise following the death of her husband, Count Liudolf of Brunswick (died 1038). The cross is decorated with a large oval-shaped chalcedony at its center and with slightly smaller rock cryst
A pax is a tablet depicting a sacred subject that a priest held out to be kissed during the Mass. The scene on this tablet is of Christ preaching to ten apostles. The image is by an unknown artist who based it on a plaquette by the gem engraver and medalist Valerio Belli (1468–1546) and demonstrates
German artist Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner's innovations in rococo design are magnificently demonstrated in this sheet showing the story of Saint Deicolus and the Boar. The format of the work imitates that of a decorative cartouche, an ornamental framework surrounding an open field usually reserved f
These intricately carved ivory panels once decorated the sides of a portable altar. Three of the plaques, those depicting Christ in Majesty and his apostles, were the first major acquisition of William M. Milliken, the museum's first curator of decorative arts and later director (1930–58). They were
The visual focus of this altarpiece is the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. So-called Passion cycles in art include the events leading up to and following the Crucifixion, not only as single subjects but as scenes meant to be read in sequence. Passion cycles were promoted by the two great
This cross is traditionally said to come from the Benedictine Abbey of Meherau on Lake Constance in today’s Austria. During the 12th and 13th centuries the abbey became wealthy through the acquisition of landed property. This beautiful cross would have likely embellished one of the abbey’s many alta
This intricately carved ivory panel once decorated the side of a portable altar. One of three plaques, it depicts Christ's apostles and was one of the first major acquisitions of William M. Milliken, the museum's first curator of decorative arts and later director (1930–1958). As Milliken later reca
Ivory diptychs (two panels hinged together) were used for private devotion by their aristocratic owners. The scenes represented here are Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem, the Raising of Lazarus, the Crucifixion, and Christ’s Entombment. They suggest choices made by the original owner who wished to cont
Two angels, barely visible against a dark background, crown Mary as the Queen of Heaven. Her slight features are made more substantial by her elaborately draped, brilliant crimson mantle. Holding the Christ child, she stands on a floor scattered with red and white roses, symbols of her purity. Green
This sculpture is possibly the best of several crucifixes by this famous sculptor from the Bavarian town of Landshut on the Upper Danube. The pathos and graphic realism with which the artist has modeled the body of Christ ranks this sculpture as one of the artist’s finest works. Leinberger was, alon
Saint Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of Andreas II, King of Hungary; her crown alludes to her royal birth. Many legends about her generosity and work on behalf of the poor were circulated in the Middle Ages, among them the subject of this sculpture: food she was carrying to the poor was mi
This panel once formed the left wing of an altarpiece originally located in a Cistercian convent in the German town of Fröndenberg. The Coronation of the Virgin was a common subject; though it is not based on a biblical text it often appeared in medieval books of hours as a focus of contemplation. I
Once used as decorations for a reliquary shrine, each enamel plaque represents a biblical prophet: Isaiah, Obadiah, Elisha, and Hosea. Fine gold dots punctuate dark blue backgrounds. Typical of Hildesheim enamels, this detailing creates the illusion that the prophets sit against star-studded twiligh
Once used as decorations for a reliquary shrine, each enamel plaque represents a biblical prophet: Isaiah, Obadiah, Elisha, and Hosea. Fine gold dots punctuate dark blue backgrounds. Typical of Hildesheim enamels, this detailing creates the illusion that the prophets sit against star-studded twiligh
This precious reliquary, adorned on its front and sides with colored glass, precious stones, and two medallions featuring the enthroned Virgin and Child and an eagle, forms part of a group of closely related objects manufactured in the Upper Rhine region shortly after 1300. The purse shape, with its
The figure shows the sleeping Jesse, the father of David from the Old Testament. As the ancestor of the family tree of Christ, he was depicted in the Middle Ages sleeping as the starting point of the tree, on whose branches the ancestors of Christ are depicted. Mary with the Christ child is always s
Designed to facilitate the display and veneration of ten relics, this sumptuous ostensorium (from the Latin ostendere, meaning "to show") is one of the most unusual reliquaries in the Guelph Treasure. Elements of contemporary Gothic architecture in miniature frame an elaborately decorated liturgical
The striking impression of this figure is the vivid representation of suffering. The sculpture captures the moment after Christ’s death: the drooping head on a frail neck is a mask of agony. The eyes are nearly shut, the mouth is ajar, and the forehead crowned by heavy, gouging thorns is drawn with
Inscribed on the base are the words ECCE AGNUS DEI (Behold the Lamb of God). Multscher was a prominent and successful sculptor from the Bavaria region who operated a large and prolific workshop with as many as 16 assistants. He worked in many materials and his work reflects a deep knowledge of Flemi
Saint Gregory was a late 6th-century pope and one of the fathers of the early Roman Church. This painting depicts the popular legend in which Gregory once overheard an onlooker express doubts about Christ's actual presence at the altar during mass. In response, the saint's immense faith was rewarded
This small picture illustrates the biblical passage in which a woman accused of adultery-an offense punishable by death in Mosaic law-is brought before Christ. He responds to her accusers with the words written across the top of the painting: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a s
This panel shows the Resurrection of Christ, who stands triumphant above his tomb bearing a banner of victory while the soldiers guarding it sleep on, one of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. It is part of the inner right wing of the Wurzach Altarpiece, painted in 1437 by the German sculptor and
This painting depicts the twelve-year-old Jesus found teaching among the doctors in the Temple at Jerusalem, an episode from the Gospel of Luke and one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. It hangs in the Unionskirche in Idstein, Germany, and is attributed to the German draftsman and printmaker Jo
Tilman Riemenschneider, one of the most important German sculptors of the late Middle Ages, created a highly original version of the Annunciation in this carved figure. The angel Gabriel, whose drapery billows out as he flies down, is dynamic and full of vitality, contrasting with the Virgin's subdu
