Reliquary Frame With Polychrome And Gilded Scrollwork – 18th / Early 19th Century

Remarkable reliquary frame with polychrome and gilded paperolles – 18th / early 19th century

Antique reliquary frame featuring a composition of exceptional finesse, crafted from gilded and polychrome paperolles, embellished with delicate miniature flowers, foliage, and bouquets entirely handcrafted.

Description

This remarkable piece stands out for the richness of its decoration and its particularly elaborate iconographic program.

The composition is organized around a central depiction of the Blessed Sacrament, in the form of a radiant monstrance surmounted by a crown and surrounded by small white doves.

Three painted medallions complete the ensemble:
The Tablets of the Law, symbolizing God’s Covenant with Moses.
The seven-branched candelabrum (menorah), a symbol of the Old Covenant.
The Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), depicted on an altar beneath a heavenly radiance, evoking Christ’s sacrifice.

Several relics and Agnus Dei figures, accompanied by their ancient tituli, are incorporated into the decoration. Among the identified inscriptions are:
Saint Modestus (S. Modestus) - Saint Savinian (S. Savinian) - Saint Clement (S. Clement), a probable reading, as well as several other inscriptions that are partially erased or difficult to decipher.

The piece as a whole demonstrates remarkable mastery of the art of paperolles, with a profusion of miniature details and a beautiful harmony of colors, combining gold, blue, pink, and green.

Presented in a gilded wooden frame with replaced glass.

Condition:

In good overall condition, with patina and signs of age. Some wear and natural changes in the composition.

On the reverse, an old handwritten document reused as backing paper.

A very beautiful piece of ancient sacred art, particularly captivating due to the exceptional quality of its paper-cutting work and the richness of its religious iconography.

In accordance with canon law (can. 1190 §1), this sale pertains solely to the reliquary as an object of sacred art. The relics it contains are not part of the transaction but are included as a courtesy due to their historical and cultural value.

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information or to request more photos of the items offered for sale.