Reliquary Monstrance with a Tooth of Saint John the Baptist
- Medium
- Silver gilt, rock crystal, textile, and human remains
- Dimensions
- 45.8 × 14.7 cm (18 × 5 3/4 in.)
- Genre
- ceremonial object
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
metalworkeuropean decorative artssilvervesselquartz crystalreliquarymineralinorganic materialreligiousnonferrous metalquartzceremonial objectdecorative artsmetal
About
This reliquary uses the form of a miniature Gothic tower. It makes an elaborate architectural frame for a transparent rock-crystal vessel holding a relic that is identified as a tooth of Saint John the Baptist by an inscription along the base of the reliquary. Rock crystal was highly prized in the medieval Islamic world. Considered a precious stone, it was used to create a number of luxurious secular objects, including this vessel, which was probably originally intended to be a container for fragrant oils.