Reliquaries Photos

Body parts of Christian Saints were venerated for miracles. Churches collected relics to draw in worshippers and had major works of art in gold and silver (reliquaries) created to hold bones, blood, limbs, straw, etc.

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Silver-gilt bust of Charlemagne , with precious stones & containing Charlemagne relic at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Detail of Silver-gilt bust of Charlemagne , with precious stones & containing Charlemagne relic at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Arm Reliquary of Charlemagne at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Chapel Reliquary with Virgin Mary & Child, Charlemagne & St Catherine at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.
Silver-gilt bust of Charlemagne (prior to 1349), with precious stones & containing Charlemagne relic at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Detail of Silver-gilt bust of Charlemagne (prior to 1349), with precious stones & containing Charlemagne relic at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Arm Reliquary of Charlemagne (1481) at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Chapel Reliquary with Virgin Mary & Child, Charlemagne & St Catherine at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.
Gilded silver reliquary at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded reliquary at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Three-Steepled Chapel Reliquary depicting Christ with John the Baptist & St Stephanus at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Romanesque ivory Christ enthroned from Reliquary of St Aemilianus at Dumbarton Oaks Museum. Washington, DC.
Gilded silver reliquary (11thC) at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded reliquary at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Gilded silver Three-Steepled Chapel Reliquary depicting Christ with John the Baptist & St Stephanus (c1370-90) at Aachen Cathedral Treasury. Aachen, Germany.Romanesque ivory Christ enthroned from Reliquary of St Aemilianus (1060-80) at Dumbarton Oaks Museum. Washington, DC.
Silver reliquary statue of St Bartholomew by Paulus Müllner from Nuremberg at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Carved reliquary casket of St Cordula from Scandinavia at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Imperial reliquary shrine to hold relics entrusted to Nuremberg by Emperor Sigismund for safekeeping in 1424 at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Reliquary box with copper fittings & bone carvings of Biblical characters from Cologne at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.
Silver reliquary statue of St Bartholomew (1509) by Paulus Müllner from Nuremberg at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Carved reliquary casket of St Cordula (c1000) from Scandinavia at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Imperial reliquary shrine (1438-40) to hold relics entrusted to Nuremberg by Emperor Sigismund for safekeeping in 1424 at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Reliquary box with copper fittings & bone carvings of Biblical characters (c1200) from Cologne at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.
Enameled copper reliquary with scenes of Adoration of Magi from Limoges at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Enameled copper reliquary with scenes of St Fausta from Limoges at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Engraved silver reliquary from Paris at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Clasp reliquary with eagle in semi-precious stones from Bohemia? at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.
Enameled copper reliquary with scenes of Adoration of Magi (c1200) from Limoges at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Enameled copper reliquary with scenes of St Fausta (mid 13thC) from Limoges at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Engraved silver reliquary (c1261-2) from Paris at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Clasp reliquary with eagle in semi-precious stones (mid 14thC) from Bohemia? at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.
Silver reliquary in form a church from Germany at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Reliquary for arm of Charlemagne from Liege at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Arm Reliquary for St Luke from Naples at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Relic of St Eustache at St Eustache Les Halles. Paris, France.
Silver reliquary in form a church (15thC) from Germany at Cluny Museum. Paris, France.Reliquary for arm of Charlemagne (c1165-70) from Liege at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Arm Reliquary for St Luke (1336-8) from Naples at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Relic of St Eustache at St Eustache Les Halles. Paris, France.
Reliquary of St Épine by Guillaume Lemaistre in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.Gold & silver ship reliquary of St Ursula by Pierre Rousseau & Henri Duzen or Raymond Guyonnet in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.Gold & silver ship reliquary of St Ursula by Raymond Guyonnet in Tau Palace. Reims, France.Resurrection Reliquary , first owned by Claude of France in Amboise, in 1547 given by Henri II to Reims Cathedral in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.
Reliquary of St Épine (c1460-64) by Guillaume Lemaistre in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.Gold & silver ship reliquary of St Ursula (c1500) by Pierre Rousseau & Henri Duzen or Raymond Guyonnet in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.Gold & silver ship reliquary of St Ursula (c1500) by Raymond Guyonnet in Tau Palace. Reims, France.Resurrection Reliquary (2nd half of 15thC), first owned by Claude of France in Amboise, in 1547 given by Henri II to Reims Cathedral in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.
Reliquary at Rough Point. Newport, RI.Reliquary arm from Liège? & casket from Limoges at Kimbell Art Museum. Fort Worth, TX.Monymusk Reliquary from Aberdeenshire said to have held remains of St Columba at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Wearable Clonmore shrine to carry relic of Christian saint but modeled upon pre-Christian tomb design from Armagh at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Reliquary at Rough Point. Newport, RI.Reliquary arm (c1150-1200) from Liège? & casket (c1200-20) from Limoges at Kimbell Art Museum. Fort Worth, TX.Monymusk Reliquary (c750) from Aberdeenshire said to have held remains of St Columba at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Wearable Clonmore shrine (late 7thC) to carry relic of Christian saint but modeled upon pre-Christian tomb design from Armagh at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Silver gilt reliquary shrine of St Patrick's hand from County Down at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.Panels telling the story of the life of St Ursula originally on the inside of lids of relic caskets at Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Köln, Germany.Internment of relics of St Gervais & St Protais painting by Philippe de Champaigne at Beaux-Arts Museum. Lyon, France.
Silver gilt reliquary shrine of St Patrick's hand (15thC) from County Down at Ulster Museum. Belfast, Northern Ireland.Panels telling the story of the life of St Ursula originally on the inside of lids of relic caskets at Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Köln, Germany.Internment of relics of St Gervais & St Protais painting (1657) by Philippe de Champaigne at Beaux-Arts Museum. Lyon, France.

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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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