Limoges champlevé email reliquary casket

This rectangular partly gilded reliquary is decorated with enamel in the champleve technique. The casse was made in Limoges, a French city that was one of the most important European centres of enamel production in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The shrine was used to preserve small relics and has a recognisable architectural form. The rectangular base rests on four legs made of copper plates decorated with an engraved diamond pattern. On this blue enamelled base are six medallions, three on each side, depicting angels ascending from a low clouds. The angels bend slightly to the sides. The angels with coloured aureoles are made of gilt and engraved copper against a background of green enamel. On the sides of the base are two medallions, in which the apostle Paul, with double-edged sword, and the apostle Peter, with the key to the gate of heaven, are depicted. They are portrayed in the same manner as the angels; against a green background and with clouds at their feet. Between the medallions is a curly border. The hinged tent-shaped lid depicts eight angels in green medallions, rising mid-height from the clouds. Between these medallions, which are smaller than the ones on the base, is the same scroll work as on the base. On the sides of the lid are two angels, without medallions. On top of the lid is an openwork comb of gilt copper, engraved on one side with a diamond pattern and on the other with a dotted border. In the middle and on both sides of the comb there was probably originally a raised cross, beads or other kind of decoration, as in other reliquaries from Limoges. The copper plates are fastened together with rounded gilt nails. The lock is missing.