Asset number
1536321001
Description
The Reliquary is made of gold, rubies, pearls, enamelled gold and saphires and is designed to display a holy relic, a single Thorn from the Crown of Thorns, which is placed vertically in the centre under a rock-crystal 'window'. The Holy Thorn is mounted on a large square cabochon sapphire. Below is an inscribed scroll which proclaims the origin of the Holy Relic. The Holy Thorn is set at the centre of a three-dimensional representation of the Last Judgement scene - or the scene of the Second Coming: the Resurrection of the Dead, the two kneeling figures of Mary and John interceding on behalf of the Resurrected, the display of the Five Wounds of Christ, the accompanying Instruments of the Passion (carried by the two angels on either side of the Christ in Judgement figure). On the base is The Resurrection of the Dead: depicted in an earthly setting comprising a gold castellated fortress with four square turrets, each occupied by a half-length angel sounding a gold trumpet; these four gold angels are enamelled in white, two of them having light blue-enamelled fleurs-de-lis added on top of the white and two of them having the light blue enamel decoration added in dots, to form a floral pattern. The gold fortress below is left in a plain but burnished state with arrow-slits and square-headed windows cut out of the gold surface. The central portal is flanked by two square turrets, between which is the door, approached by a grand flight of five steps projecting in a three-sided form. On either side of the grand portal the walls of the fortress spread out diagonally back to a second pair of square corner turrets; these two side walls (each carried on a broad round-headed arch) are set with two long rectangular panels, each engraved and decorated in blue and red translucent enamel with the arms of Jean, duc de Berry (“d'azure semé de fleurs-de-lis d'or à la bordure engrêleé de gueules”). To the upper part of the fortress is fixed (with long pins that slot into gold tubular sockets attached to the interior of the fortress walls) the green-enamelled rocky mound, out of which protrude four gold rectangular coffins and an upturned coffin lid. From each of the coffins emerges a white-enamelled naked figure; there are two men and two women - the latter wearing a form of nightcap covering their hair. In the middle section is The Heavenly scene of intercession: within a broad architectural type of frame, is a deep gold recess, protected by a rock-crystal 'window' set within a narrow gold frame ornamented with applied gold oak leaves and twigs; the 'window' is held in position by six short gold pins on the narrow frame which pass snugly into six small holes in the moulding surrounding the recess. Two figures kneel: on the left the Virgin Mary, on the right the kneeling St John the Baptist raises both hands and gazes up at Christ, who is seated on a red- and black-enamelled gold rainbow that emerges on either side from a vivid blue-enamelled cloud with wavy white edges. The Saint's “raiment of camel's hair” (Matt.3:4) is rendered in tooled gold but is partly covered by a white- and red-enamelled robe, from which protrudes his bare left leg. The feet of Christ rest on the world, a white-enamelled globe divided into three parts by a thin black (?)-enamelled line.On either side of Christ's head are two angels who together hold a Crown of Thorns over his head. The angel (on the right) holds the three Nails in his left hand, whilst the other angel holds the lance in his right hand. The twelve Apostles are half-length figures that rise out of a mass of golden oak leaves, branches and tendrils, clutching their distinctive emblems which, li
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