Important Pair Of Altarpiece Reliquaries – 16th Century

Remarkable pieces of carved wood in this Italian work from the 16th century. Crowned with a cross and gilded with fine gold, our two reliquaries, in the form of a portable altarpiece, frame a precious work on parchment with numerous canivet-style cutouts demarcating plots of fabric in gold and silver canvas. On the base of each of the reliquaries, sits a central medallion presenting five ex-ossibus relics of holy martyrs.

The central monstrances each receive 22 distinct relics in a fine colored montage with four scenes in enhanced engraving surrounding a central gouache. The iconography deserves a stop... on image:
On our first piece, Saint Anthony of Padua is accompanied, on the upper part, by an engraving of Saint Agnes recognizable by her attributes such as the palm of martyrdom, the lamb in her arms and her long hair. A second engraving offers a rare representation of the Virgin Child, surrounded by Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. More classic is its counterpart illustrating the Holy Family. And finally, on the lower part we find an illustration of the Blessing Child, the Salvator Mundi.
On our second piece are represented, around Saint John the Baptist, four men in holiness, including, for the lower part, a holy founder with his church in hand. The relics of our 54 Saints present are not here, not designated by the traditional nominative phylacteries.
On the back, presence of several episcopal wax seals from a more recent period. The reliquaries which sometimes had to be opened to be cleaned or repaired were the subject of a new seal.
Good condition, some lacks in particular of gilding
Dimensions of each piece: 97 cm high by 62 cm wide and 18 cm deep.
An exceptional piece.