RELIQUARY. POLYCHROMED WOOD, GLASS, ETC.. SPANISH SCHOOL, 17TH CENTURY.

Wall reliquary altar. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood, glass, metal, etc. Spanish school, 17th century. Reliquary altar made of carved, gilded and polychrome wood composed of a part that imitates a curtain of the type usually used to cover altars and other pieces when they were not used, topped by a winged angel's head, and a composition organized around a tondo large central stem, from which a series of stems ending in scrolls emerge. Some of these stems (eight in total) ultimately form a kind of crown of leaves in the center of which are as many circular reliquaries of saints. In this central tondo mentioned is a wax Agnus Dei (or Ágnusdei). On the visible side there is an image of the Risen Christ (inspired by the one sculpted by Michelangelo Buonarroti around 1520 and found in Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome) accompanied by angels with symbols of the Passion and on a pedestal. It is known that this image was used in these pieces before 1598, again in 1619 and again in 1690. These relics (they are blessed by the Pope) receive their name because on the obverse it appears printed, above the book with the seven seals , the haloed Paschal Lamb carrying the banner of the Resurrection. In the text around the image, there seems to be a reference to Pope Pius V (Pope between 1566 and 1572). The rest of the relics of saints, preserved inside tondos with transparent lids, are identified with the name of the saint to whom what is inside belongs. Mention would thus be made of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia (3rd-4th centuries, Christian martyr), Saint Sebastian of Milan (256-288; Christian martyr, saint venerated by the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church), Saint Hermogenes (4th century, Christian martyr died in Mérida, Badajoz), possibly Saint Attilio (martyred Roman legionary, belonging to the Theban Legion which, however, does not appear in the Roman Matirology), another holy martyr called Fecina, etc. Regarding the typology of the reliquary, it is necessary to highlight its originality as it is not the typical painting model with sections inside nor the numerous variants of reliquaries to place on a table or altar. Note, also, that with this provision the central medallion blessed by the Pope with the image of the Risen Christ is clearly marked as the “origin” of holiness, adding an important theological component closely related to the Counter-Reformation of the 17th century.

· Size: 60x12x75 cms.