Processional cross c. 1450

Editor: This object is a "Processional Cross," made around 1450, and currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It’s made of metal, gold, and enamel, and I'm struck by the level of craftsmanship – the intricacy of the sculpted figures against the sheen of the gold. What are your thoughts on it? Curator: From a materialist perspective, this cross is incredibly telling. It's not just about religious symbolism; it's about the socioeconomic implications of its construction. Think about the mining of the gold, the specialized labor required for the metalwork, and the access to resources needed to even commission such a piece. Who was involved in its production, from the initial extraction to the final polishing? Editor: So, you’re saying it's less about the *idea* of the cross and more about the realities behind making it? Curator: Exactly. Consider the guild system in 15th-century Italy, the social hierarchy embedded within artistic production. Someone wasn’t just divinely inspired to *poof* this cross into existence. The use of enamel too—where did those materials come from, and what was the technological knowledge required? It speaks to a complex network of trade and expertise. Editor: That makes me look at it differently. I was focusing on its function and its symbolic purpose, but now I’m wondering about the people who physically shaped it, the lives and skills involved. It's fascinating to consider what the process of production tells us about the period. Curator: Precisely. Even its location here, in Minneapolis, speaks to the later journey of materials, capital, and culture. What began as an object of devotion becomes an object of collection, imbued with new meanings within a modern institution. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It reframes the object entirely, shifting from pure symbolism to the concrete conditions of its creation and circulation. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Remembering the conditions behind art changes how we view both its history and its future.