Hand Cross

The cross was one of the most important symbols and amulets in Christian life. The most common type is the hand cross, used in various ways in the liturgy. The cross from the village of Demivka is seven-pointed (the ends of the central frame are missing) and is made using profiling and flat carving techniques. On the front of the hand-made cross is a crucifix, which occupies the main part of the stem. The sketched figure of the Saviour, with marked contours and lightly worked details, is disproportionate. A smooth line separates the upper and lower crosses from the main composition. The central area of the upper frame is filled with letters inscribed in a rectangle framed by a "kryvulka" (curved) motif; the lower frame is identical. In the central part of the back of the cross is a full-length, elongated image of the Virgin Mary wearing a crown and holding the infant Jesus. The figures are framed by a clear graphic outline with outlined details of their clothing and faces. The upper frame on the reverse side is identical to that on the front, and the lower frame differs only in a geometric pattern in the centre. A continuous smooth stripe runs along the outline of the hand-made cross, repeating the frame's shape.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery