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Attributed to Saracchi Workshop (foot); Western European 19th Century (cross and its mounts)

Altar Cross, c. 1590 (foot); mid to late 19th century (cross and its mounts)

West Building, Main Floor — Gallery 27

Medium

rock crystal, enameled gold, 3 beryls, 46 spinels, and 11 emeralds

Dimensions

overall: 44.9 x 15.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 in.)

Credit Line

Widener Collection

Accession Number

1942.9.294

Artists / Makers

Saracchi Workshop (artist) Italian, active 16th century

Western European 19th Century (artist)

Image Use

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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

Bardini, Stefano
Christie, Manson & Woods, Ltd.
Duveen Brothers, Inc.
Mannheim, Charles
Widener, Joseph E.
Widener, Peter Arrell Brown

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.