A Heritage Of Holy Wood: The Legend Of The True Cross In Text And Image

Baert (Medieval history of art, Catholic U. of Leuven) explores the legend and the desires behind it from the fourth century to late in the 15th century throughout the Christian world. Among her topics are Helena and the Jews and the legend of finding the cross; the finding of the cross in Carolingian and Romanesque art; Heraclius and the Persians and the legend of the exaltation of the cross; the spreading of the finding and exaltation of the cross in the late Middle Ages; the legend of the wood of the cross from Paradise to Golgotha; and the monumental programs of the legend of the cross in Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Most of the illustrations are monochrome, but there is a 30-page bank of color plates. No mention is made of any publication of the Dutch original Erfenis van heilig hout. Only names and works are indexed. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)