female saints one of
whom is St. Mary Magdalene. On the lobed base are quatrefoils
with enamel images of the Crucifixion, the Sorrowing Virgin,
St. John the Evangelist, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Peter, and
St. Paul. These alternate with six shields chased with archangels
in various attitudes.
The St. Peter reliquary is one of the few
items of the 1530 treasure of precious metals that escaped destruction.
The Knights themselves were not averse to recycling their church
plate and objets d'art if the need arose and most of
what survived was melted down by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.
One other lucky survivor is the slightly earlier silver-gilt
reliquary of the True Cross which was, probably, produced in
Paris c. 1240 (45). It consists of
a patriarchal cross with ornate finials carrying, on the obverse
side, reliefs of the evangelical symbols, and of two angels
with passion tools, while, on the reverse side, are the Agnus
Dei, two Old Testament Prophets, and the Four Evangelists.
At the crossing of the longer of the two lateral beams is a
Christ in Majesty whose vivacious expressive figure,
rhythmic drapery folds, and feeling for the body structure are
in the best Romanesque tradition. The reliquary stands out for
its sophisticated accomplishment and high degree of finish.
A richer and artistically more splendid example
of late medieval metal work is the processional cross, now in
the treasury of the Metropolitan Cathedral at Mdina. The cross,
of parcel-gilt silver, carries the respective arms of the Master
Philibert de Naillac (1396-1421) and the financier Dragonetto
Clavelli, who was presumably the donor (46).
Stylistic and technical considerations make it apparent that
the cross was produced in Venice (47).
The pedestal is an earlier work that was, possibly, refashioned
from an erstwhile reliquary. In typical late Gothic style it
is wrought in the shape of a miniature hexagonal temple crowned
by a dome. Buttresses define the six walls each
|
of which is pierced by a two-light
window, while cast effigies of the Virgin and Child and five
saints, one of whom is a bishop, encircle the dome.
It has been the scope of this study to focus
attention on some of the highlights of the treasure that the
Knights brought in their luggage to Malta when they established
their Convent here in 1530. The high artistic quality of these
objets d'art testifies to the importance that the Order
attached to its artistic patronage. This tradition was maintained
and fine-tuned during its long Maltese period.
|
|
| Processional Cross. Detail.
Parcel-gilt silver. Venice, early 15th century. Treasury
of the Metropolitan Cathedral, Mdina. Photo credit: The
Marquis Cassar de Sayn |
|
|
[45] C. Oman, op. cit.,
104-5. The stem and the pedestal of the reliquary are subsequent
accretions added at different periods. They, therefore, fall outside
the scope of this study.
[46] A.T. Luttrell, op. cit., 11. Clavelli who died around
January 1415 was a notable benefactor of the Convent, even though
he was not a knight.
[47] C. Oman, op. cit., 179.
|
|
