Germany, Lower Saxony?, Romanesque period, 11th century / c. 1045
Trap door for the Portable Altar of Countess Gertrude
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Trap door for the Portable Altar of Countess Gertrude as metalwork (Germany, Lower Saxony?, Romanesque period, 11th century · c. 1045).
By removing this door located on the bottom of the altar, the numerous small relics of saints wrapped in silk are revealed.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as Gold, cloisonné enamel, porphyry, gems, pearls, niello, wood core.
The museum's collection notes: Commissioned by Countess Gertrude of Brunswick, this portable altar is one of the Guelph Treasure’s earliest and most sumptuous objects. The choice of white-speckled porphyry as the altar stone signals Gertrude’s worldly aspirations; an imperial color since classical antiquity, porphyry was only used by the imperial family. Historical figures of royal and imperial rank are depicted with Christ, the Virgin, apostles, and archangels along the altar’s sides, stressing the countess’s political ambitions and claim of imperial lineage for her own dynasty. The Latin inscription surrounding the altar stone reads, "Gertrude offers to Christ, to live j
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtTrap door for the Portable Altar of Countess GertrudeOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.