Shrine of St Monulph and St Gondulph

In my post Treasures of Heaven I mentioned that one of the most appealing exhibits at the exhibition in the British Museum on relics and reliquaries were the end panels from the chasse of St Monulph (d. late 6th cent.) and St Gondulph (d. early 7th cent.). I have now found some photographs of the pieces, although they do not convey fully the charm of the delightful figures of the two saints leaning out in response to the angelic message they are receiving almost as if to say "Who, me?" I described them in my previous post as looking "as if responding to a polite request to put in an appearance or perform some act of intercession."

Monulph and Gondulph are poorly attested bishops of the diocese of Tongeren (Tongres), whose seat from the sixth century onward was in Maastricht. Monulph has several Vitae (BHL 6012-6018) derived from a Vita of the perhaps fourth-century St. Servatius (Servais, Servaas; Feast day 13. May). These ascribe to him, rather than to his predecessor St. Domitian, the moving of the episcopal seat to Maastricht and the building there of a church over St Servatius's grave. Other building projects are ascribed to Monulph, as is also the founding of the church of Liège. Gondulph, if he really existed, is thought to have been Monulph's immediate successor. In 1039 bodies said to be those of Monulph. and Gondulph. were accorded an Elevatio in Maastricht's church of St. Servatius in the presence of the Emperor Henry III. July 16th is their Feast day (Acknowledgements to www.learn.columbia.edu)

These remains of their reliquary, made in the period 1180-1200, were in the church of St. Servais, Maastricht, until 1847.Acquired by a Mr. Horn, they were in Prince Soltykoff's collection until 1861, when they were acquired by the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire in Brussels

The pieces are made of copper gilt (cast, engraved, and embossed) over wood, and decorated with vernis brun and champlevé enamel.

St. Monulph

Inscription:
hec nostris manibus dat vobis premia christus
(Through our hands Christ gives you this crown)

St Gondulph

Inscription:
surgite xristus adest vocat vos ipse coronat
(Arise! Behold, Christ is calling you and he himself is crowning you)

As artworks they are an example of the versitility and vitality of medieval craftsmen, both heavenly and sublime as well as humane and delightful. Looking at such pieces one appreciates the skill, and bewails the loss of so much of the same nature which has been lost.

Treasures of Heaven

Yesterday I went with a party from the Oxford Oratory to visit the exhibition Treasures of Heaven at the British Museum. The exhibition looks at relics, reliquaries and pilgrimage from the end of the Western Empire until the reformation and beyond. In addition to the Museum's own holdings there are items from the Vatican collections, from elsewhere in Britain, together with France, Germany and Belgium, as well as museum collections in the USA.

The exhibition is housed in the former Reading Room of the Museum, and is a wondrous display of treasures and a record of devotion. Here are reviews from the Guardian (by Eamonn Duffy) and the Daily Telegraph ( complete with predictable mad anti-Papal rant in the appended comments). Both reviews have illustrations of some of the items on display, so do follow the links.

It is an exhibition to take one's time over, and the objcts repay careful study. Accompanying the exhibition is handsome catalogue, available at a special price of a third off to visitors, and a fine array of souvenirs and related books.

Reliquary of St Baudime
Mid-twelfth century

Image: British Museum exhibition website

The relics and relquaries on show are but a fraction of what still survives on the continent, and infinitely less than once existed. In that sense one might be depressed at the greed and stupidity which destroyed so much that was expressive of faith, love and beauty, but one marvels all the more at the skill of medieval craftsmen - just how did they manage to see to produce such miniscule and exquisite detail? - and the joyful vitality of the pieces they created - there are two absolutely delightful figures of a pair of saintly Belgian bishops peering up from the base of their reliquary chasse, rather as if responding to a polite request to put in an appearance or perform some act of intercession.

Reliquary thought to be of one of the companions of St Ursula.
Netherlandish 1520-30

Image: British Museum exhibition website

As always it is invidious to pick out individual objects, but in addition to the episcipal figures I mentioned above, I was particularly interested to see St Cuthbert's portable altar - a sliver of wood used by the great monk-Bishop of Lindisfarne who died in 687 - as well as a fine late medieval Irish bell reliquary, relics of the Crown of Thorns distributed by St Louis, including the reliquary for one thorn made for the Duke of Berry in the late fourteenth century, other exquisite reliquaries of a a few years earlier associated with the court at Prague of the Emperor Charles IV (well it was the feast of St Wenceslaus), and relics and jewellery associated with Mary Queen of Scots and her grandson King Charles I.

In addition to the fine weather the day was all the more pleasant for being a visit with friends, and I appreciated the fact that I was able to spend much of my time with Dr Robert Beddard, formerly my college advisor at Oriel, and with whom I could swap historical observations on the objects we were looking at.

If you have not already been to the exhibition do try to find the time before it closes on October 9th.