Reliquary bust of Saint Blaise

Abstract

Made in the 18th century, this sculpture by an unknown artist depicts Saint Blaise. Saint Blaise was a 4th-century martyr who was known to produce healing miracles. The figure is seen wearing a mitre that has been painted with jewels. He holds a book and a wool comb, a symbol of his martyrdom, and gestures a blessing with his right hand. This sculpture depicts the figure half-length with a cavity at the center of his chest. This cavity would have held a relic. Relics are bodily fragments of saints or other objects associated with the holy. Relics have been venerated and encased in elaborate reliquaries since the early Middle Ages. It is common for early medieval reliquaries to take the shape of box-like containers. This reliquary is a lifelike bust of the saint with their bones on display. The saint appears to be physically present. A question arises: should the relic or the image of the saint be revered by the faithful? The sculpture is in good condition. The sculpture is located in the Museo d’Arte Sacra Don Clemente Confalone, Maiori. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.