Enamelled reliquary caskets
Key pieces of the “Opus lemovicense”, that is the “Work of Limoges”, comprising of nearly 700 reliquary caskets, are preserved in the world’s major museums.
In fact, these reliquary caskets are kinds of miniature sarcophagus for the relics of saints. The choice of their decoration amplifies the entire symbolism of the preserved relics.
Their selected themes vigorously match the “fashion” trends at the time and also remind us of the elements of liturgy, developed through the transition of the elevation of relics.
However, from among the very large iconography of these reliquary caskets, by choice, the Work of Limousin goldsmiths reveals three major themes for the caskets that we know of :
Carte des émaux conservés en Limousin in situ
The devotion to Saints existed very early on in the early stages of Christianity and the Crusades in the Holy Land hastened the trade of Relics in the West. The Christianisation of numerous pagan sanctuaries gave rise to devotions (religious fervour) and processions dedicated to local or identfied Saints.
Who said relics means reliquaries…and the trade of the latter proliferates. These enamelled boxes permitted to shelter the Saints’ relics after their translation out of the tomb, and to preserve them in or under the altar. Crypts housing Saints tombs are often too small to accommodate pilgrims. Moreover, the evolution of liturgy corresponds to the proliferation of masses and altars, requiring in turn more relics.
Limoges enamellers generated a significant production of Reliquary Caskets, representing miniature models of the church, last shrines for holy relics.



The seven hundred or so Reliquary Caskets of Limousin preserved to this day, kinds of miniature sarcophagus provided for the relics of saints, constitute a substantial proportion, about a tenth, of all items listed by the “Corpus of Western Enamels”.
Most of them, about one hundred, are a miniature version of well-established funeral mausoleums in the West. For instance, the Reliquary Casket of Malmesbury presents, in the centre, two rectangular panels, decorated with two pictures encapsulating the Christian Faith: the Crucifixion, at the lower level, and above it, the Apocalyptic Lamb, pledge of an Assurance of Salvation through the redeeming sacrifice. On the wings, archways shelter the Council of Twelve Apostles. On the gables, Saint Peter and Saint Paul stand out through their prominent position in the roman hierarchy; the Limoges enamellers respectfully assigned them that position for a century; it goes without saying that the doorway at the endpoint of the small structure, is kept in Saint Peter’s custody, a miniscule image for paradise on earth.
The prominent features of the faces of the Apostles’ two Princes are sketched with a coat of enamel and bear the thumbprint of the distinct and identifiable Byzantine style : the mosaics of the Palatine Chapel in Palermo.


Well before the enamelled Reliquary Caskets are made by the Limousin workshops, the first model of Reliquary Casket known in Limousin is the Merovingian Reliquary Casket (VII or VIII century) preserved in the Church of Saint-Bonnet-Avalouze.
The Reliquary Casket has the shape of a small house with a steep saddleback roof with pitch gables tilting slightly inward. Although the workmanship is quite rough, its old age, in contrast, singles it out as a very rare specimen in Europe.
It is a small embossed and gilded box, nailed onto a wooden oak frame; the decorations feature, on one panel, a cross with even arms encircled by interlaced patterns; on the other side, a large cross of Saint Andrew outlines four sections depicting two haloed Saints and two crosses potent.




Merovingian Reliquary Casket of Saint-Bonnet-Avalouze.

Herebelow a panel of enamelled Reliquary Caskets from Limousin:


La chasse de saint Leu du trésor de l'abbaye Sainte-Austreberthe de Montreuil-sur-Mer (62). Email de Limoges, XIIIe siècle.


