Reliquary in monstrance form

home collections reliquaries Reliquary in monstrance form
INV RL.60
Relicário em forma de Custódia

PLACE/DATE
China, Macao (?), Ming dynasty (1368-1644), 17th century

MATERIALS
Repoussé and chased silver and glass

DIMENSIONS
39,5 x 18,1 x 12,5 cm

INV
RL.60

This reliquary follows the model consecrated after the Council of Trent (1543-1536) for monstrances, with the ostensory surrounded by ample radiation surrounding and highlighting, in this case, the small oval openings that protected the relics, which have now disappeared, under crystal.

It is a singular object, of great decorative sobriety, especially confined to its upper part, at the level of the shank and of the halo, carried out by engravings with parallel grooves, of great visual effect in opposition to the remaining smooth surface of the metal. The small cross crowning the piece, with its trilobed ends, suggests that it might have been produced in China, namely Macao. However, there are no similar examples confirming this attribution.