Small Nickel-plated Bronze Cassette Chest, 19th Century, With Twelve Apostles And Signs Of The Zodiac

A rare small nickel-plated bronze chest dating from the 19th century, adorned with a fascinating iconographic program: the Twelve Apostles associated with the signs of the Zodiac. This association, recurrent in the Middle Ages, participates in a symbolic re-semantization that establishes a link between the human and the divine, between time and eternity.

It evokes the great medieval reliquaries, such as the ivory caskets of the 9th century, where the Apostles were represented under arcading, surmounted by the signs of the Zodiac – a device emphasizing cosmic order and spiritual harmony. The hinged lid opens onto a wooden interior, contrasting with the silver patina of the metal.

The chest retains its original lock and key, both in working order, which makes it an even rarer piece. Much more than a simple decorative object, this chest embodies a true work of conversation, between medieval cosmology and the historicist revival of the 19th century. A remarkable piece for any collector of religious art, medieval objects or symbolic curiosities.