SMC Find and Describe a Medieval Work of Art Questions

DIRECTIONS:

1. Choose a work of medieval art from the years 400-1400ACE

2. Provide the Artist (if there is one), Title, Date, Material, and Location of the work of art

3. Indicate which part of the medieval era your object is from (i.e. Byzantine, Celtic, Romanesque, Gothic, etc.)

4. Provide a short description of your object

Here is an example of mine:

<img src=”https://online.smc.edu/courses/66182/files/15641018/preview” alt=”reliquary arm of st. valentine.jpg” “=”” style=”box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: middle; max-width: 100%;”>

Reliquary Arm of St. Valentine, Anonymous Artist, Swiss, Silver, Partial Gilt, Sapphire, 14th century, Gothic

The cult of relics was quite popular during the Middle Ages as a means to attract pilgrims to specific churches. During the medieval era, pilgrimage routes exploded in popularity, and in order to attract visitors, churches commissioned elaborate reliquaries to house body parts of saints in sumptuous containers. This sculpted silver arm, which gestures as if to draw attention to the power of St. Valentine, contains an actual bone of his arm. Faithful pilgrims believed that proximity to the body parts and personal objects once held by saints would confer holiness upon them and answer their prayers. Reliquaries like this one were often placed in chapels so that pilgrims could venerate them, and perhaps make a donation to the church at the same time.