Romanesaque Cross

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/121345766891?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 

Romanesque Cross

I'm still in that medieval frame of mind! Of all the art during the middle ages, Romanesque ("Roman-like) art is my favorite. This piece was made from stained glass and solder. I use the solder as a decorative element, creating beads in a pattern. I add a patina to each piece to give it that aged look and to show off all the solder work. There is an agate stone in the center of this piece with an interesting vein going through it. The bail is copper wire and it too, has been treated with a patina. You can find this work on ebay by clicking on the link or pasting the URL in your browser.

The Romanesque time refers to the European 11th and 12th century. Many of the groups that raided the small villages and towns during the "Dark Ages" were permanently banished. Europe was growing and stabilizing once again. The church regained its power over the territories and everyone was referencing the ancient Roman Empire. Metalsmithing was one of the first art forms to regain the old art skills and status. There was logic behind these art forms becoming popular; jewelry is functional and therefore serves more than one purpose. Jewelry is also portable. Even a Viking raider could wear fashionable jewelry while fighting and then later trade it for a more prestigious piece. In fact, when there was a shortage of currency, jewelry becomes an excellent trade item, even doubling in value when metals become scarce. We still use jewelry in this manner today. It's one of the best ways to invest in gold or silver since the value increases in an unstable market.

The religious icons were functional art as well. You had images of the saints in jewelry and small figurines. The art becomes didactic, which means to teach through images. Since 90 percent of the common people were illiterate and the church needed to 'educate' everyone about the bible, art became a major memory device. Like flash cards, a priest or missionary could point to a work of art whether it was a small figurine or carved masonry on a cathedral wall, and explain the religious significance behind it.