Terms and conditions of use
Crucifix reliquary
(c. 1700)
- Medium
- ivory, iron, wood, tortoiseshell, bone, paper, silk, gold fabric, rock crystal
- Measurements
- 36.6 × 12.8 × 5.3 cm
- Inscription
- inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross uc.: S, Romulus m.
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross u.l.: S, Hipolitus m.
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross u.c.: s, Bartholom: APOST:
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross ur.: s.Euftachius m.
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross c.: S, Barbara m.
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross l.c.: S.Felix m.
inscribed in pen and ink on paper label inset in rear of cross l.c.: S.Hilarius m. - Accession Number
- D13-1990
- Department
- International Decorative Arts
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Presented by Mrs G. Furche, 1990
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited - Gallery location
- Not on display
- About this work
-
This ivory figure of the crucified Christ ultimately derives from a painted Crucifixion by Peter Paul Rubens of around 1610–11. The reverse of the tortoiseshell veneered cross contains, behind rock-crystal windows, a number of relics of saints, including the apostle Bartholomew, and the martyrs Romulus, Hippolitus, Eustachios, Barbara, Felix and Hilarius. Each is carefully labelled, as required by Church law after the Council of Trent. As objects for devotional contemplation, the relics ensure that the believer prayed to Christ in the company of the saints.
- Physical description
- Ivory corpus secured to wooden cross, veneered with tortoiseshell, verso-bone relics of saints.
