Saint-Bertin Abbey in Saint-Omer was one of the most important abbeys in northern France in the Middle Ages. Founded in the 7th century, this famous Benedictine abbey had a long and complicated history, comparable to many similar establishments. The abbey's fame and wealth obviously made it possible to carry out ambitious artistic programmes, and its prestige attracted the generosity of many donors who wished to give this powerful foundation valuable objects as tokens of their devotion.
Among the works that were once part of the treasure of Saint-Bertin, the cross, of which only the foot is now preserved in the Saint-Omer museum, is an eloquent testimony to the high quality of the objects that once populated the site.
This rare work belongs to the so-called "Mosan" production, which included workshops along the Meuse valley, as well as in northern France and as far afield as Holland. Produced in the second half of the 12th century, its decoration combines enamels that are highly representative of the technique developed in this context with figures in the round. The iconographic repertoire combines representations of the four Evangelists with scenes from the Old Testament, foreshadowing the Crucifixion or evoking the theme of the Redemption.
The Pied de croix de Saint-Bertin is an undisputed masterpiece of the Mosan workshops.