|
|
The Treasury of Basel Cathedral
|
|
|
Description
Like the statuette of Saint John the Baptist, also on display, this reliquary figure was raised from sheet silver and lacks the wood core often found in Romanesque figural reliquaries, such as that of Saint Eustace, also in this exhibition. The goldsmith brought exceptional sculptural presence to this image. Seemingly arrested in motion, the massive figure of the saint pauses, rotating his head toward the child on his shoulder as though noticing the weight of his small charge for the first time. According to legend, Saint Christopher, a man of considerable stature, sought to serve the most powerful king but was unable to find him. One night, a small child asked to be taken to the other side of a river; placing the child on his shoulders, Christopher started to ford the waters. He paused midstream, suddenly realizing that his diminutive passenger had become so heavy that he feared he could not make it to the far bank. The child then revealed to Christopher that he was carrying not only the weight of the entire world but also that of the one who ruled it, for the child was Christ, the king whom Christopher had been seeking.
|
Back to main page for this exhibition
Back to images from this exhibition
Description