{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118685"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118685/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3349/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BW3349/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BW3349","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3361","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3360","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BW3350","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9799","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9798","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9797","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9793","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9791","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9789","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9788","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9787","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9786","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9781","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF9780","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA5759","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA5777","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118685/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118685","accessionNumber":"707-1884","objectType":"Processional cross","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Although altar crosses could  be used in processions, the large size of this cross indicates that it was probably principally used in processions around the town and church of Locatello, Italy. These took place before Mass on special feast and saints' days. Crosses of this type were raised high upon a tall staff, so that it could be seen by a crowd of people. Processional crosses were often decorated with gold and silver, and this example displays the standard iconography of the Evangelists, Mary and St John with the crucified Christ in the centre. This example was commissioned for the town of Locatello, near Bergamo. The owl depicted upon the knop of the stem is the symbol of the town. The coat of arms upon the piece has been connected with the Locatelli family of Alzano.\r\n\r\nThis cross can be compared to another example in a church not far away, in San Vincenzo Church, Bergamo, in northern Italy. The close stylistic similarities suggest that they were made by the same goldsmith, Lorenzino Ughetto.","physicalDescription":"Wood, covered with silver plates, parcel-gilt repousse, and chased with floral and geometrical ornament relieved partly with translucent enamel. All round the margins are applied Gothic flowerets. On one side are attached figures of the Virgin and Child and the symbols of the Evangelists; on the other side are the Crucified Christ, the Pascal Lamb, the Virgin, an Evangelist, and St John; all in silver-gilt. The knop is copper and gilt, with enamelled silver medallions representing the Annunciation, an image of an owl, which is the emblem of the town of Locatello, and various armorial bearings.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ughetto Lorenzoni","id":"A20157"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"repoussé","id":"AAT54023"},{"text":"mercury-gilding","id":"x39207"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood, silver-gilt, copper-gilt, repoussé, enamel (traces)","categories":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BW3349","2008BW3361","2008BW3360","2008BW3350","2006AF9799","2006AF9798","2006AF9797","2006AF9793","2006AF9791","2006AF9789","2006AF9788","2006AF9787","2006AF9786","2006AF9781","2006AF9780","2017KA5759","2017KA5777"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"10","id":"THES49099"},"free":"","case":"13","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Processional cross","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1390","earliest":"1385-01-01","latest":"1394-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"97","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"61","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"16","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from the Castellani Collection for £360 10<i>s</i>.\r\n\r\nA note in the object file gives the following information about the provenance and attribution:\r\n\r\n'This cross appears to be identical with one which was sold to Castellani from the church of Locatello, near Bergamo. Fornoni records on the authority of a certain Villa (whose statement he had been unable to verify) that it was the work of Ughetto Lorenzoni of Vertova, a Bergamasque goldsmith, who was commissioned in 1386 to make a cross for the former cathedral of S. Alessandro, now preserved in the  cathedral of S. Vicenzo, at Bergamo. The Cathedral cross was heavily restored in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the original parts bear a very strong resemblance to the Museum cross and seem to confirm the attribution to the same master.'\r\n\nHistorical significance: This object belonged to the community church of Locatello (near Bergamo). The decoration of the owl upon the knop of the cross is a symbol of the town. The coat of arms upon the stem has been linked to the Locatelli family of Alzano.","historicalContext":"Crosses like this were used in processions before the mass. This example would have been raised high upon a staff. Processional crosses were usually decorated in silver and gold. From around 800 processional and altar crosses included a figure of the crucified Christ and became known as Crucifixes. The iconography upon crosses became standard from around 1100. The four evangelists, Mary and St John are popular figures for depiction. This cross also includes the figure of the Paschal Lamb, a symbol of Christ.\r\n\r\nOnce covered in colourful enamel, this silver and copper-gilt cross would have been the centrepiece of religious processions. The lavish decoration on both sides ensured that the devotional images were visible to all. One side displays silver-gilt figures of the Virgin and Child at the centre with the symbols of the Evangelists in quatrefoils at the ends of the cross arms; the other displays the Crucifixion with the Pascal Lamb (a symbol of Christ), the Virgin, an Evangelist and St John.\r\nThe silver panels are supported on a wooden inner structure, providing strength to the otherwise delicate silver decoration. While only a handful of enamelled areas survive, it is possible to imagine the visual impact of the cross when it was covered in deep shades of glossy, translucent enamel. The intricacy of the decoration, based on geometric motifs, is reflected in the ridges that originally contained cloisonné enamel. The choice of gilt copper rather than gilt silver for the knop and the lower rod was probably a practical one, as the object would have been held in this area. The surface treatment of this Trecento Crucifix shows the desire to convey different textures, particularly in Christ’s cross, where incised lines on the silver imitate the grain of wood. ","briefDescription":"Cross, silver gilt and copper gilt, probably Ughetto Lorenzoni, ca. 1390, Italian","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Marian Campbell, 'L’ Oreficeria Italiana nell’Inghilterra Medievale, con una nota sugli smalti italiani del XIV e XV secolo nel Victoria and Albert Museum' in Bolletino d'Arte, no.43, 1987, p.16, fig.25"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Charles Oman, 'Zwei Bergamasker Goldschmiede und ihre Werke' in Pantheon, April 1929, pp.176-9"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Elia Fornoni, 'Orefici e gioiellieri Bergamaschi' in Atti dell' Ateneo di Bergamo, 1908, pp.14-9"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Angelo Pinetti, 'La Collaborazione di un orafo piacentino in una croce del Duomo di Bergamo’ in Strenna Piacentina, 1926, pp.23-7"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, exh. cat., Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2023, p.120, cat.1.13 (S. Villani)  "}],"production":"Probably made for the church of Locatello near Bergamo by Ughetto Lorenzoni, goldsmith of Vertova who worked in Bergamo.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"PROCESSIONAL CROSS\r\nWood, inlaid with silver plaques which have been elaborately worked (by piercing embossing, engraving, enamelling and chasing) \r\nProbably by UGHETTO LORENZONI, goldsmith of Vertova\r\nITALIAN (made for the church of locatello near Bergamo) about 1390\r\n707-1884\r\n\r\nThe front of the Cross shows the Crucifixion and above it the Paschal Lamb. The back shows the virgin and Child with the symbols of the Evangelists (the eagle of St John, the ox of St Luke, the lion of St Mark, the figure of a man for St Matthew). The only other surviving cross by Lorenzoni dates from 1386 and is in the cathedral of Bergamo, Italy. From the Castellani Collection.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"PROCESSIONAL CROSS\r\nWood, inlaid with silver plaques which have been elaborately worked (by piercing embossing, engraving, enamelling and chasing)\r\nProbably by Ughetto Lorenzoni, goldsmith of Vertova\r\nItalian (made for church of Locatello near Bergamo); about 1390\r\nThe front of the Cross shows the Crucifixion and above it the Paschal Lamb. The back shows the Virgin and Child with the symbols of the Evangelists (the eagle for St. John, the ox for St. Luke, the lion for St. Mark and the figure of a man for St. Matthew). The only surviving cross by Lorenzoni dates from 1386 and is in the cathedral of Bergamo, Italy.\r\nFrom the Castellani Collection","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["707-1884"],"accessionNumberNum":"707","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1884,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2017KD9046","2017KD9047","2017KD9048","2017KD9049","2019LM6035","2019LR2842","2019LR4830","2019LT6967","2019LU2705","2019LT8703","2019LW7454","2019LW1820"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-29","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-18","availableToBook":false}}