Artwork
Processional Cross
Processional Cross is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Master of Santa Chiara. It dates from 1320 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Central to each side is the figure of the crucified Christ, flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John at the upper terminals.
The work is a tall, processional cross designed for liturgical parades, featuring a crucifixion scene on both faces. Central to each side is the figure of the crucified Christ, flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John at the upper terminals. Below, two distinct saints—Francis on one side and Clare on the other—anchor the composition, while an angel crowns each vertical edge, their expressions marked by profound sorrow.
Subject & Meaning
The pairing of Saint Francis and Saint Clare, founders of the male and female branches of the Franciscan movement, signals the cross’s intended use within a Franciscan community. The grieving angels and the solemn gazes of the surrounding figures underscore the theological emphasis on Christ’s Passion and the shared suffering of the faithful, inviting contemplation during the procession.
Technique & Style
Attributed to the anonymous Master of Santa Chiara, the piece displays a compact yet expressive rendering of figures, with careful attention to facial emotion despite their diminutive scale. The symmetrical layout, consistent iconography on both sides, and the delicate carving of the terminals reflect the Umbrian workshop tradition of the early 14th century, balancing narrative clarity with devotional intensity.
History & Provenance
Created in Assisi, the cross likely served a local Franciscan convent or friary, given its iconographic program. The artist, known only by the notname derived from other works in the Santa Chiara complex, produced several comparable devotional objects for the region. The cross’s survival in a liturgical context suggests it remained within the order’s holdings before entering a museum collection.
Artist & collection
Christ on the Cross between the Virgin and St. John/ Madonna enthroned
Crucifix
Processional Crucifix
Painted Crucifix
Piesă de cult, de formă dreptunghiulară, alcătuită dintr-o bucată de lemn pictată pe una dintre suprafețe. Icoana este împărțită în patru registre de axul crucii, prezentând un decor antropomorf, dispus astfel: central - Isus Christos răstignit pe cruce, Fecioara Maria și Maria Magdalena în stânga și în dreapta Mântuitorului, pe brațele crucii, iar la partea superioară a crucii Tatăl Ceresc; stânga sus - Maica cu pruncul; dreapta sus - Sfântul Nicolae; stânga jos - Sfântul Dumitru călare pe un cal roșu; dreapta jos - Sfântul Gheorghe călare pe un cal alb (ambii ucigând câte un șarpe, care întruchipează răul). Cromatică: fond verde, decor relizat cu alb, roșu, crem, negru, maro.
Christ on the Cross