Antique Agnus Dei Relicario, Reliquary

This beautiful large relicario once belonged to a convent in Southern Bolivia. Agnus Dei reliquaries are formed from sacred wax, usually from the previous year's Easter candles, and always carry the image of the Lamb of God, or Agnus Dei, with the obverse depicting a patron saint or Madonna. The front of this relicario features the Lamb, surrounded by an aureola with the verso depicting a beautiful Madonna dn Child. Common in the Spanish colonies, the wax images were polychromed, as seen here. Frequently encased in a silver frame, this relicario's original casing was melted down for for the silver content, an unfortunate but frequent occurance with convents that need funds. Thankfully, the relicario was spared, and ended up in a private collection in La Paz. The Agnus Dei Relicario would be wonderful displayed so both sides could be enjoyed - the images are gorgeous!

Measurement: 3 1/4" x 2 5/8"

SOLD