Italian copper processional cross, Sulmona, early 15th century

made of embossed, chiselled and gilded copper foil on a wooden core, it has a Latin cross structure with the arms with poly-lobed finials; the rib is also covered by sheets with moulded ornaments depicting whirls with acorns.

On the front, the iconography of the crucifixion with the figure of the crucified Christ at the intersection of the arms, the Virgin and St. John at the end of the side arms of the cross-bar; two angels at the top and bottom.

On the recto, God the Father is represented in the centre with a full-length blessing and on the four terminals the animal symbols of the Evangelists: at the top the eagle representing John, at the bottom the angel, symbol of Matthew, on the left the lion of Mark and on the opposite side the bull, symbol of the Evangelist Luke.

Worthy of note, on the verso, is the figure of Christ in the centre, which has an archaic model as its reference. The work is part of the vast repertoire of 15th century astylar crosses made in the Sulmona area, characterised by this type of structure and decoration.

In the case proposed here, we note the presence of cast perimeter decorations depicting angels instead of the usual spherules; these applications are most likely replacements or additions of a later period.

Item codition grading: **** good, defects and missing, probable replacement of the nails fixing the sheets.