Reliquary
Medium
Gilt bronze over wooden support
Dimensions
88 × 74.2 × 43.2 cm (34 5/8 × 29 1/4 × 17 in.)
Classification
reliquary
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
179969
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
An expert in historic churches and religious objects, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc likely based the design of this reliquary (a receptacle for sacred relics) on a medieval example with a similar gabled roof also embellished with pinecones, a symbol of eternal life. This object was produced by Louis Bachelet’s foundry, probably as a model that never contained relics. The foundry promoted Viollet-le-Duc’s design through a printed catalogue and in its showroom. The finished reliquaries cost between 2,300 ...