Lot number 3495 - Auction 150
SELTENES RELIQUIEN- ODER ANDACHTSKLAPPAMULETT MIT ACHT MINIATUR-BILDNISSEN

SOUTHERN GERMANY OR NORTHERN ITALY, 17TH CENTURY RARE RELIC OR DEVOTIONAL FOLDING AMULET WITH EIGHT MINIATURE PORTRAITS Silver, oil on copper (octagonal). Closed: 3.5 x 3 cm, open: 3.5 x 6 cm. Minimal loss of colour, very good condition for its age. Framed in silver case. The octagonal relic or devotional amulet shown here is a masterfully crafted object that is a gem of Christian art in many respects. It consists of a solid cast silver case that opens into four wings and displays eight fine miniature paintings on the inside. The outer sides are decorated with reliefs depicting figures, namely St. Peter ('SAN PETRUS') with the key and St. John the Evangelist ('SAN IOAN EVANG'), recognisable by the attribute of the eagle. The paintings inside show typical Christological scenes and saints, including John the Baptist, Saint Barbara, Christ with the cross, Mary as Queen of Heaven, Saint Barbara with a tower, Christ with the cross, Christ with child and dove, and a miraculous image (possibly the Madonna of Czestochowa). The painting style is reminiscent of 17th-century workshops in southern Germany or Italy. The combination of silver relief and painting is typical of Baroque devotional objects, in which small portable objects served as signs of personal piety. Such 'folding reliquaries' or amulets were often carried by pilgrims or served as private household altars when travelling. The technical sophistication (multiple folding, double-sided display) demonstrates the high quality of the craftsmanship. A connection with the Benedictine or Jesuit orders, which distributed this type of object during the Recatholisation, is conceivable. A similar object can be found in: Kunstkammer Georg Laue. Devotionalia, Munich 2013, p. 142 ff. Provenance: North German private collection.