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Chasse of Ambazac

1180–90
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Constructed of radiant gold and adorned in semiprecious stones, this magnificent chasse needs no figural imagery to evoke Heavenly Jerusalem. The resplendent edifice conveys the divine light with which the heavenly city glowed, even presenting illuminated stained-glass windows interpreted in delicate enamel. Although French in origin, the reliquary is firmly linked to the eastern Mediterranean, as among its translucent stones are drops of turquoise-colored faience, a type of ceramic associated with that region.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Chasse of Ambazac
  • Date: 1180–90
  • Geography: Made in Limoges, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, rock crystal, semiprecious stones, faience, and glass
  • Dimensions: 31 1/8 × 10 1/4 × 23 1/8 in. (79 × 26 × 58.7 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Copper
  • Credit Line: Mairie d'Ambazac
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters