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About this work
Where medieval reliquaries had employed rich materials such as gold, enamel and gemstones, signifying the divine light and the heavenly realm to which a saint’s relics provided a link, many of the reliquaries produced by members of cloistered women’s religious orders in the post-Reformation era purposely used humble materials like paper, wax and thread. This was a conscious rejection of all excess – the only treasures worthy of the name were the relics themsleves.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
France
Inscription
inscribed in pen and brown ink on paper c.l.: S. Maurii M.
inscribed in pen and brown ink on paper u.l.: S. Benigni M.
inscribed in pen and brown ink on paper u.c.: Reliquae .S S.
inscribed in pen and brown ink on paper u.r.: S. Desidirii M.
inscribed in pen and brown ink on paper c.r.: S. Justini M.
Accession Number
D438-1980
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Dame Carol Colburn-Grigor CBE through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
Tablet of wax moulded in form of 1/2 figure St Mary Magdalene mounted on scrolled base.