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The Treasury of Basel Cathedral
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Münch Monstrance 1490–94
Basel
Attributed to Jörg Schongauer
Raised, cast, swaged, chased, and engraved silver, with a diamond, garnet, opaque champlevé enamel, and modern glass; H. 42 7/8 in. (108.8 cm)
Historisches Museum Basel, Gift of the Government of Canton Basel-Country
Historisches Museum Basel
Description |
Description
The earliest of the reliquary tower monstrances, the Münch Monstrance is notable for its architectonic structure, virtuoso technique, and coherent overall design. The monstrance was made to contain the relics of Heinrich II that were originally kept in the Reliquary Monstrance of the Imperial Couple (also on display in this exhibition). The attribution to Jörg Schongauer, brother of the engraver Martin, is based on similarities with documented works; the figure of Saint Stephen in the knop, for example, is cast from the same mold as one made by Schongauer in 1487–88. The lunula, displayed alongside the Münch Monstrance used to hold the Eucharist or Host, came from a different monstrance (now lost) and apparently was placed in the Münch Monstrance at the time of the 1836 auction in Liestal.
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