Large Ebonized Wood Reliquary Frame Containing Relics Of Saints And Martyrs, Italy, 17th Century

Exceptional Reliquary Frame with a Representation of Christ on the Cross and 44 Relics, Italy, circa 1700. Ebonized wood, glass, paper, textile, embroidery, and relic fragments. Large Baroque reliquary frame featuring a central representation of the crucified Christ. The figure of Christ is executed in fine embroidery on a textile background and shows his body inclined, his head bowed and crowned with thorns, with the wounds clearly depicted. The background is adorned with ornately arranged floral motifs and embroidered decorative lines, forming a dense and symmetrical composition. The wide ebonized wood frame encloses 44 small, round or oval, glazed relic capsules. Behind the glass are tiny relic fragments, usually attached to strips of paper and identified by handwritten Latin inscriptions. The relics are those of apostles, evangelists, martyrs, Church Fathers, virgins, and religious saints. Such reliquaries are characteristic of Baroque devotion. The central depiction of the Crucifixion refers to the redemptive sacrifice of Christ, while the relics arranged in the frame symbolize the communion of saints who bear witness to the mystery of salvation. "Ex Societ. S. Ursulae Apost. and Leopoldi Arch. S. Jacobi Apost. mart. and Jacobi Ap. mart. S. Petri Apostoli and S. Pauli Apost. Capilli Mariae Virg. and Lucae Evangelistae S. Joannis Evang. and Joannes Bapt. S. Bartholomaei and S. Philippi Apost. S. Matthiae Apost. and S. Marci Evang. S. Simonis Apost. and S. Thomae Apost Ex Societ. hosp. – S.Eustachii mart. S. Thomae – S. Ambrosii Episc. – Dorotheae Virg. – S. Udalrici Episc. S. Cosmae – S. Margaretae Virg. – S. Damiani S. Sylvestri Papae – S. Afrae martyis – S. Erasmi Episc. S. Bernardini – S. Apolloniae Virg. – S. Agapiti S. Franciscae Virg. – Reliquiae Sanctorum – Soc. Ursulae S. Willibaldi Abbat. – S. Vitalis Martyr S. Ottmari mon. – S. Quirini Episcop. S. Virgilii Episcop. – S. Wolfgangi S. Sigismundi Reg. – S. Benedicti Abbate Sanctorum S. Egidii Abbatis – S. Erhardi Episc. – S. Nicolai Ep. – S. Martini S. Lini Papae et mart. –S. Felicis Papae – S. Ruperti Episc. – S. Maximiliani S. Barnabae Apost. – S. Catharinae Virg. – S. Laurentii – S. Ursulae Virg. S. Sixti Papae – S. Stephani – S. Caeciliae Virg. – S. Vincentii S. Blasii Episcopi et Mart. – S. Mariae Magdalenae – S. Christophori S. Stanislai Mart. – S. Christinae Virg. – S. Cynachii S. Pancratii – S. Annae Virg. – S. Wenceslai S. Bonifatii Ep. – S. Chrysegundis S. Priscillae Virg. – S. Justi – S. Albini Legio Thebaeorum – Monte Cavo