Cross. Silos or Conques, late 13th-14th century.

Cross; Silos or Conques, late 13th - early 14th century.
Enameled copper.
Attached study of the piece.
Measurements: 31 x 31 cm.
This cross consists of a central square copper plate and, on each of its sides, there are four copper pieces attached to it, in the form of a cross, which are joined to the central body on the back with three equidistant rivets of the same equidistant material. The whole piece is covered with a gold bath on its front face, with losses of the same that is lifted in many of its parts. The four lateral plates joined to the central body are arranged in the form of lisle leaves, which form a cross flordelisada or florenzada", cross that begins to be used during the XIII century.E the back is of smooth copper in its color, where the union of the four wings of the cross to the central piece is evidenced, by means of three small pieces of copper equidistant. The copper plates only show some engraved grooves of the main iconographies (Christ and the four symbols of the evangelists). Iconographically it follows models of Conques/Limoges (France) of the 12th century. In the center of the cross is represented a seated Christ in Majesty or Pantocrator, dressed in green tunic and blue mantle, with blond hair and beard, without moustache, surrounded his head by a nimbus of white and green colors. His right hand blessing and his left hand holding what may be the closed Book of Life. The blue tunic reaches to the lower edge of the plate, the feet not being represented, which, most of the time, appear barefoot. As background: earthly symbols -the main stars-: to his right the sun, and to his left the moon (full), both with their faces and all surrounded by thirteen stars, as supreme lord of time. At the ends of the cross is a tetramorph. That is, each of the symbols representing each Evangelist, accompanied by his name on a ribbon.
Enameling and glazing, as a technique of glazed enamel or porcelain enamel in art, ceramics and other crafts, is the result of fusing powdered glass with a substrate through a heating process, usually between 750 and 850 °C. The powder melts and grows and hardens to form a smooth, glazed coating that is very durable on metal, glass or ceramic. The most famous were the French workshops of Limoges and Conques. The production of these Limousin workshops, whose first testimonies date from the second quarter of the 12th century, spread throughout Europe, favored by the decision of the Council of Lateran IV in 1215, which authorized the use of enamel. In the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, the elaboration of late Romanesque enamels, inspired by Limoges, was developed mainly during the 11th and 12th centuries. Few examples of this type remain today. South of Limoges, and at the beginning of the 12th century, the town of Conques, on one of the branches of the Way of St. James, flourished a workshop of great importance that made magnificent pieces of enamels, with vibrant colors, beautiful shades of turquoise, green and red.