Reliquary; Spanish or French school; second third... Lot 98

Reliquary; Spanish or French school; second third of the nineteenth century. Gilded bronze and malachite. Measurements: 67,5 x 21 x 18 cm. Reliquary made of gilded bronze with malachite applique on the base. The piece presents an ornamental design with round figures. The realization of this type of religious objects, designed to house the relics of the saints, was common from the Gothic period, highlighting both the crosses, as the so-called "testas", which, in the contemporary documentation to its realization, were very popular. They were used to contain relics. In spite of the fact that many of them adopted very diverse forms, all of them had the same devotional purpose, which sometimes went beyond fanaticism. It should be remembered, however, that at that time, practically any element that had been in contact with the saint or his mortal remains (cloths, burial soil, etc.) was considered a sacred relic. This triggered a whole market for such objects. The best examples were made of precious metals, but specimens such as the present one were also highly valued, both for the container and, above all, for the content.