Altar Cross
c. 1590 (foot); mid to late 19th century (cross and its mounts)
Artist, Italian, active 16th century
West Building Main Floor, Gallery 27
Artwork overview
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Medium
rock crystal, enameled gold, 3 beryls, 46 spinels, and 11 emeralds
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Credit Line
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Dimensions
overall: 44.9 x 15.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 in.)
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Accession
1942.9.294
Artwork history & notes
Provenance
Possibly Pope Paul V [Camillo Borghese, 1550-1621], Rome.[1] Stefano Bardini [1836-1922]; (his sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 5 June 1899, no. 175, bought in); (Bardini sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 27-30 May 1902, no. 108); Brawes.[2] Charles Mannheim [1893-1910], Paris. (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris); sold 28 October 1911 to Peter A.B. Widener [1834-1915], Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheritance from the Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park; gift 1942 to NGA.
[1] According to the 1899 and 1902 Christie's catalogues, the cross stayed in the pope's family until purchased by Bardini.
[2] The results of the 1899 and 1902 Bardini sales were kindly provided by Lynda McLeod, Librarian, Christie's Archives, in her e-mail of 1 August 2012, in NGA curatorial files.
Associated Names
Bibliography
1935
Inventory of the Objects d'Art at Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, The Estate of the Late P.A.B. Widener. Philadelphia, 1935: 39.
1942
Works of Art from the Widener Collection. Foreword by David Finley and John Walker. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 10.
1983
Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 168.
Wikidata ID
Q62131018