Left arm (left to right): saint Catherine of Alexandria with wheel and martyr's palm. Saint Simon with a saw. Martyrdom of saint Sebastian; saint Sebastian tied to a tree; archer with bow and arrows. Saint Bartholomew with a flaying knife.
Right arm (left to right): two standing saints or apostles (?). Standing saints or apostles (?). standing saint with an axe (saint Jude (Thaddeus), Matthew or Matthias?). Saint George and the dragon.Vertical axis (top to bottom): Coronation of the Virgin. Visitation. Betrothal of Joseph and the Virgin. Entombment with the Virgin and saint John the Evangelist. Crucifixion; Virgin and Holy Women; saint John the Evangelist and onlookers. Three Holy Women at the Tomb (?). Harrowing of Hell with Adam and Eve coming out of the Mouth of Hell. Noli me Tangere (Christ appearing to saint Mary Magdalene). Resurrected Christ (?). Deposition with the Virgin.
Williamson and Davies 2014: French (Paris), c. 1400-1410. Cross: 15th century
Attribution
Cross attributed to Bernardino de Porres (c. 1487)
Reverse
Back of the ivory reliefs not visible, hidden by the metal casing. The back of the cross is decorated with four diamond shape plaques featuring the Symbols of the Evangelists with scrolls: eagle of saint John the Evangelist; lion of saint Mark; angel of saint Matthew; ox of saint Luke. Niches with Pietà (Lamentation of the Virgin over Christ's body) and two other scenes.
Bibliography
P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings 1200-1550 (London, 2014), p. 457 (no. 11), in relation no. 157.
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