Cross. Silos or Conques, late 13th–14th centuries

FLOWER-OF-LIS CROSS WITH CHRIST IN MAJESTY AND THE TETRAMORPHOS. Silos (Spain) or Conques (France), late 13th–early 14th century.
Gilded copper and champlevé enamel.
Accompanied by a historical-artistic study, dated in Madrid on June 20, 2006, with technical, iconographic, stylistic, and provenance analyses.
Provenance:
- Collection of Fernando de Orleans (1884–1924), Duke of Montpensier, member of the French Royal House.
- María Isabel González de Olañeta e Ibarreta, 3rd Marquise of Valdeterrazo, widow of the Duke of Montpensier.
- José María Huarte y Jáuregui (1898–1969), widowed Marquis of Valdeterrazo, by marriage to the aforementioned.
- The Huarte Jáuregui family, until the 1990s.
- Rabasco Antiques, Pamplona (Navarre).
- Private collection.
Measurements: 31 x 29.5 cm; 0.3 cm thick, according to the report.

This exceptional enameled cross from the late 13th or early 14th century combines three aspects of particular interest to collectors of medieval art: its connection to the major enamel production centers of Silos and Conques, the uniqueness of its iconographic program, and a distinguished aristocratic provenance linking it to the Royal House of France. Added to this is its preservation as a complete set, a circumstance that the historical-artistic study accompanying the piece notes as rare for this type of object.

Its provenance is one of its main points of interest. According to the accompanying research, the cross belonged to Fernando de Orleans, Duke of Montpensier (1884–1924), a descendant of the House of Orleans and a member of the French royal family. After his death, the piece remained in the possession of his widow, María Isabel González de Olañeta e Ibarreta, 3rd Marquise of Valdeterrazo, and later passed to the Huarte Jáuregui family, who kept it until the 1990s. This history places the piece within the context of 19th- and 20th-century European aristocratic collecting, which showed a particular interest in sumptuary arts and medieval religious objects.

From an artistic standpoint, the cross features a characteristic fleur-de-lis structure, consisting of a square central plate and four arms with trefoil-shaped ends, assembled with copper rivets. The obverse retains traces of gilding and a rich decoration of enamels in shades of blue, green, white, and red, applied using the champlevé technique, which involves filling cavities previously carved into the metal surface with vitreous enamel. The combination of these colors, together with the engraved outlines and the geometric decoration framing the central scene, creates an effect of remarkable ornamental richness.

The iconographic program is one of the most distinctive aspects of the work. In the center appears Christ in Majesty (Maiestas Domini), depicted seated, with his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing and his left hand holding a closed book, identified in the report as the Book of Life. He is dressed in a tunic and cloak of vivid colors, while his head is surrounded by a polychrome nimbus. The figure is accompanied by the sun and the moon, depicted as human faces, and by a cluster of stars that reinforce the cosmic significance of the composition.
Particularly noteworthy is the absence of the mandorla—or mystical almond shape—that typically surrounds Christ in Majesty in Romanesque depictions. Instead, astral symbols occupy the surrounding space, creating an unusual iconography that emphasizes Christ’s status as sovereign of the universe, lord of time, and judge of the living and the dead. This distinctive feature, specifically highlighted in the accompanying study, sets this cross apart from numerous contemporary examples.
At the four corners is the tetramorph, consisting of the symbols of the evangelists: the eagle of St. John at the top, the angel of St. Matthew at the bottom, the bull of St. Luke on the right, and the lion of St. Mark on the left. Each figure is accompanied by an identifying inscription, a detail that adds interest to the iconographic program and its interpretation within medieval religious culture.

The study links the creation of the cross to the enamel workshops of Silos, on the Iberian Peninsula, or Conques, in France—two key centers for the development of medieval enameled metalwork. The use of specific shades of blue and green, together with the design of the figures and the arrangement of the enamels, forms the basis for this proposed geographical attribution.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the workshops of Limoges and Conques achieved extraordinary prominence thanks to their production of liturgical and devotional objects, facilitated by monastic networks and pilgrimage routes. At the same time, the monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos developed an important tradition of enamelwork, characterized by a distinctive chromatic richness and a close connection to the artistic languages of European Romanesque art.

The cross finds iconographic and stylistic references in various medieval works, including the Bonneval Cross, housed at the Musée de Cluny in Paris, and various depictions of Christ in Majesty associated with the enamel workshops of France and the Iberian Peninsula. The study also establishes formal connections with works from Conques, such as the Bellac reliquary and various medieval medallions housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Another distinctive feature is its design as a piece intended to be suspended by a ring located at the top. According to the study, this system serves a rare function of wall display, setting it apart from the more common processional or altar crosses.