Tabernacle

myminifactory

This masterpiece showcases the artistry of Cologne's goldsmiths from 1150 to 1200. Inscriptions and imagery clearly indicate that it served as a portable tabernacle rather than a reliquary, which held holy relics. A tabernacle typically held the pyx, a container for consecrated bread used in the Christian Eucharist, making this piece perfect for processions or altar veneration. The craftsmanship here is closely tied to a group of enamelled pieces, including the smaller cross-shaped and domed tabernacle in Berlin's Kunstgewerbemuseum. It's highly probable that these two tabernacles are the earliest examples of cruciform churches with domes. Recent conservation efforts uncovered a parchment dated 1855, signed by dealer Carrand, which suggested that this tabernacle originated from Cologne's Benedictine monastery, likely Saint Pantaleon. The shrines of Saint Marinus and Saint Albinus, preserved in the same location, feature enamel reliquaries with similar styles to this piece. Formerly known as 'The Eltenberg Reliquary'. Gallery location: Medieval & Renaissance, Room 8, The William and Eileen Ruddock Gallery, case 17. Courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London