Artwork Page for Reliquary Box with Scenes from the Life of John the Baptist (lid)

Details / Information for Reliquary Box with Scenes from the Life of John the Baptist (lid)

Reliquary Box with Scenes from the Life of John the Baptist (lid)

1300s

Byzantium, Constantinople, late Byzantine period, 14th century

View all records in artwork set
Medium
tempera, gold, wood
Measurements
Overall: 23.5 x 9.9 x 9 cm (9 1/4 x 3 7/8 x 3 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Bruce Ferrini in memory of Robert P. Bergman 1999.229.b
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

John the Baptist--the first person to recognize Christ as the promised savior and the one who baptized him in the Jordan River--was one of the Byzantine Empire’s most revered saints. This box shows four scenes from the saint’s life: John’s martyrdom, Christ’s baptism, John’s birth, and the announcement of his birth to his parents. It probably once housed one of the saint’s relics; several were kept in churches and monasteries in Constantinople, including fragments of his skull and right arm and locks of his blood-clotted hair.
A horizontally oriented tempera and gold painting on a wooden box lid is framed by a thick red border and inner gold band. Centrally, faded figures in muted greens, blues, and gold intermingle, though the imagery is heavily fragmented and cracked. Large sections of paint have worn away, particularly along the edges, revealing the dark wood beneath. A small wooden block extends from the left, while the overall surface appears weathered and aged.

Reliquary Box with Scenes from the Life of John the Baptist (lid)

1300s

Byzantium, Constantinople, late Byzantine period, 14th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork