It was commissioned by Gero, Archbishop of Cologne, who died in 976, thus providing a terminus ante quem for the work. It is carved in oak, and painted and partially gilded ” both have been renewed.

Who made the Gero Crucifix?

The Gerocrucifix is a sculpture in the round, carved from wood, and it is also stained to add more color and depth. It was created in 970-1000 during the Ottonian era of art and was brought to the Cologne Cathedral in Germany by Archbishop Gero.

What style is the Gero Crucifix?

Probably commissioned by Archbishop Gero around 970 to stand above an altar dedicated to the Crucifixion, the Gero Cross is now set in a Baroque frame and situated north of the high altar. Carved in oak then painted and gilded, the life-size sculpture renders the dead Christ with striking naturalism.

How tall is the Gero Crucifix?

The Gero Crucifix, carved oak corpus (with contemporary nimbus and stem), before 986; in the Cologne Cathedral, Germany. Height 187 cm.

What is the oldest crucifix?

The Gero Cross or Gero Crucifix (German: Gero-Kreuz), of around 965″970, is the oldest large sculpture of the crucified Christ north of the Alps, and has always been displayed in Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

Is the Gero crucifix a reliquary?

The Gero Crucifix is a sculpture depiction of a tortured Christ on the cross that is held in Cologne Cathedral in Germany and was made in 970. … It is a polychrome wood sculpture that also functions as a reliquary through the head of Christ.

What is the purpose of Christ’s representation in the Gero crucifix?

As opposed to the triumphant pose of Christ as seen on the book cover of the Lindau Gospels, this representation of Christ emphasizes suffering. Christ’s head hangs heavily and His body appears limp and frail. This is the first time in history that an image of dead Christ was depicted on the cross.

What is an example of Ottonian architecture?

One of the finest surviving examples of Ottonian architecture is St. Cyriakus Church (960-965) in Gernrode, Germany. The central body of the church has a nave with two aisles flanked by two towers, characteristic of Carolingian architecture .

Which areas did the Vikings plunder?

The Vikings who invaded western and eastern Europe were mainly pagans from the same area as present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They also settled in the Faroe Islands, Ireland, Iceland, peripheral Scotland (Caithness, the Hebrides and the Northern Isles), Greenland, and Canada.

Where can Westwork be found?

westwork (from German Westwerk): An entrance area at the west end of a church with upper chamber and usually with a tower or towers. It is normally broader than the width of the nave and aisles. Westwork is sometimes used synonymously with narthex. Compare with narthex, screen facade.

What is a cathedral crucifix?

A rood or rood cross, sometimes known as a triumphal cross, is a cross or crucifix, especially the large crucifix set above the entrance to the chancel of a medieval church. Alternatively, it is a large sculpture or painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.

What is wattle and daub quizlet?

Wattle and daub. A sticky substance used for building walls; made from wet soil, clay, sand, straw, and animal dung.

Did Vikings have crosses?

While archaeologists had found fragments of crosses in Viking burial ships, those dated to later periods, were made of silver and were smaller that this discovery. A very similar cross, dating to about the same time period, however, was found in Sweden.

When was the cross symbol first used?

The crucifix, a cross upon which an image of Christ is present, is not known to have been used until the 6th century AD.

Where is the earliest known depiction of Christ’s crucifixion located?

The Alexamenos graffito, currently in the museum in the Palatine Hill, Rome, is a Roman graffito from the 2nd century CE which depicts a man worshiping a crucified donkey. This graffito, though apparently meant as an insult, is the earliest known pictorial representation of the crucifixion of Jesus.

What’s the meaning of reliquary?

: a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept.