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A chasse, châsse or box reliquary is a shape commonly used in medieval metalwork for
reliquaries A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', ''chasse'', or ''phylactery'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a ''feretory''. Relics may be the purported or actual physic ...
and other containers. To the modern eye the form resembles a house, though a tomb or church was more the intention,Distelberger, 21 with an oblong base, straight sides and two sloping top faces meeting at a central ridge, often marked by a raised strip and decoration. From the sides there are therefore triangular "gable" areas. The casket usually stands on straight stumpy feet, and there is a hinged opening to allow access, either one of the panels, but not on the front face, or the wooden bottom; there is usually a lock. The shape possibly developed from a similar shape of
sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...
that goes back to
Etruscan art Etruscan art was produced by the Etruscan civilization in central Italy between the 10th and 1st centuries BC. From around 750 BC it was heavily influenced by Greek art, which was imported by the Etruscans, but always retained distinct charact ...
, or from
Early Medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Middle Ages of Europ ...
Insular art Insular art, also known as Hiberno-Saxon art, was produced in the sub-Roman Britain, post-Roman era of Great Britain and Ireland. The term derives from ''insula'', the Latin language, Latin term for "island"; in this period Britain and Ireland ...
, where there are a number of
house-shaped shrine House-shaped shrine (or church or tomb-shaped shrines)Crawford (1923), p. 82 are early medieval portable metal reliquaries formed in the shape of the roof of a rectangular building. They originate from both Ireland and Scotland and mostly date fr ...
s, reliquaries or
cumdach A (, in Irish "cover"Joynt (1917), p. 186) or book shrine is an elaborate ornamented metal reliquary box or case used to hold History of Ireland (400–800), Early Medieval Irish manuscripts or relics. They are typically later than the book t ...
s ("book-shrines"), with similar shapes. The
Monymusk Reliquary The Monymusk Reliquary is an eighth century Scottish House-shaped shrine, house-shape reliquaryMoss (2014), p. 286 made of wood and metal characterised by an Hiberno-Saxon art, Insular fusion of Gaels, Gaelic and Picts, Pictish design and Anglo-S ...
is typical of these, having four sloping panels above, so no "gables". A 13th-century example of the fully-sloping type is the chasse of Saint Exupère in
Limoges enamel Limoges enamel has been produced at Limoges, in south-western France, over several centuries up to the present. There are two periods when it was of European importance. From the 12th century to 1370 there was a large industry producing metal o ...
(see gallery of images, below). The word derives, via the French ''châsse'', from the Latin ''capsa'', meaning "box".


Use of the term

In English the word may or may not be italicised, and if it is may use the French
circumflex The circumflex () is a diacritic in the Latin and Greek scripts that is also used in the written forms of many languages and in various romanization and transcription schemes. It received its English name from "bent around"a translation of ...
: ''châsse''. Regardless of the form used, the term in English is normally only used of "house"-shaped boxes, usually enamelled ones, whereas in French it is a general term for reliquaries with a box, "shrine" or casket form, of any shape, and tends to be used especially for larger examples. The chasse shape was also used for most of the much larger, and far grander, reliquary shrines made by goldsmiths for cathedrals and great monasteries, like the Reliquary Shrine of Saint Eleutherius in the cathedral of Tournai, but these featured elaborate three-dimensional decoration, with gold or silver-gilt the predominant impression. These are less often described as chasses in English, though they are likely to be so termed in French, where the term ''châsse'' mostly refers to large
sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...
-sized reliquaries. In larger chasses the shape may be more complex, as in the Shrine of the Three Kings in
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, which has "side-roofs" like an aisled church.


Development

The development of the
champlevé Champlevé is an enamelling technique in the decorative arts, or an object made by that process, in which troughs or cells are carved, etched, die struck, or Casting (metalworking), cast into the surface of a metal object, and filled with vitreo ...
enamel technique made enamel decoration far easier and so cheaper than the previous fiddly
cloisonné Cloisonné () is an ancient technology, ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold. In recent centuries, vitreous enamel has been used, but inla ...
process, and enabled much larger surfaces to be covered in a single firing. The enamel chasse was developed to exploit these new possibilities. By the 12th century, the Romanesque chasse had become popular as a relatively cheap form for reliquaries, especially for the enamelled caskets made in
Limoges Limoges ( , , ; , locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated o ...
and Spain, which were exported all over Europe. Limoges was on one of the main
pilgrim The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...
routes to Santiago de Compostela, which probably helped distribution.Hermitage These were made round a wooden core, usually consisting of seven pieces of
oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...
which were primed and painted, to which fairly thin sheets of
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
decorated in champlevé enamel and
gilding Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...
were nailed with pins with rounded gilt heads. The flat panels were fired before the box was assembled around the wooden core, using "assembling marks" on the wood and the rear of the metal plates. In the late 14th century a new all-metal method of construction was developed, with chasses "fitted together by an ingenious system of slots, lugs, and
dovetail A dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a joinery technique most commonly used in woodworking joinery (carpentry), including furniture, cabinets, log buildings, and traditional timber framing. Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart, a ...
s". There were sometimes gems, usually in fact made of glass, set on the faces, and especially into the roof-ridge, which often has finials and a row of keyhole shaped openings. Though still luxury products, enamel chasses were cheap compared to a custom-made object from a goldsmith, and the effect impressive and colourful. The solidity of the boxes, and the difficulty of recovering the relatively low value of the gold used, has meant a high survival rate compared to other types of medieval metalwork, at least for religious chasses; over 700 medieval Limoges chasses survive, often in very good condition. In the earlier examples only the figures and decorative roundels were enamelled, but in the 13th century this was usually reversed, with an enamelled background, generally dominated by blue, and figures just engraved and gilded. A group from the end of the 12th century with some sixty survivals have enamelled figures and "vermiculated" gilded backgrounds "incised in a pattern of densely interwoven vine scrolls and tendrils". Often, as in the examples illustrated, the heads alone were modelled in relief, but sometimes whole figures, usually by hammering from behind into a mould. After several decades they were being produced by workshops in large numbers, using standard patterns, and could be afforded by relatively small parish churches. The shape was used for other purposes, and secular designs were made, although far fewer of these have survived. The enamel workshops modified their style slightly to reflect the coming of the Gothic, and were still producing chasses in the 14th century and beyond, although quality had by now fallen somewhat, and the best quality enamel work was now in the new '' basse-taille'' technique. Production was already in decline, but the industry never recovered from the sack of Limoges in 1370 by the English under
Edward, the Black Prince Edward of Woodstock (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II of England, Richard II, succession to the Br ...
. Limoges had been part of the Plantaganet "
Angevin Empire The Angevin Empire (; ) was the collection of territories held by the House of Plantagenet during the 12th and 13th centuries, when they ruled over an area covering roughly all of present-day England, half of France, and parts of Ireland and Wal ...
" since 1150, but the city had annoyed the Black Prince by surrendering to the French earlier, and 3,000 of the citizens are said to have been killed in the sack.


Subjects

Many enamel chasses had static subjects including angels, standing saints and '' Christ in Majesty'', but narrative subjects were also popular, including the story of the Three
Biblical Magi In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
, usually in two scenes, the '' Journey of the Magi'' above and '' Adoration of the Magi'' on the main face, the latter featuring on some 26 Limoges chasses. Their three bodies had been "rediscovered" near
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
in 1158, and were translated to the magnificent Shrine of the Three Kings in
Cologne Cathedral Cologne Cathedral (, , officially , English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia belonging to the Catholic Church. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archd ...
in 1164; It has been suggested that fragments of the old stone Milan shrine were treated as relics, explaining the demand for Magi reliquaries. The murder of
Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...
,
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
, in 1170, was rapidly followed by his
canonisation Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of sai ...
in 1173, and became a very common subject on chasses, with 52 surviving, usually showing his burial above and murder below, as in the Becket Casket in the
V&A Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
in London. Becket's body was carefully preserved, but pieces of his clothes and other possessions were treated as relics, and were deliberately widely distributed by
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
to promote his cult from the 1170s until about 1220. The otherwise obscure Saint Valerie came from
Limoges Limoges ( , , ; , locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated o ...
, and has 22 surviving chasses showing her life, reflecting her popularity in the region; the lives of
Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...
, dedicatee of Limoges Cathedral and Saint Martial, its first bishop, are also represented on chasses. Figures of saints on chasses often lack identifying attributes, enabling purchasers to identify them with whatever saints they chose, or needed to match their relics. The most elaborate designs usually only appear on the front and sides; the rear faces, usually not visible, are typically more simply decorated with geometric patterns or beasts in roundels rather than figure compositions.Distelberger, 21. See also Sotheby's File:Box holy oils Louvre OA6935.jpg, Early 13th-century chasse used to hold holy oils File:Reliquary vermicule Louvre OA5892.jpg, Example with vermiculated gilded background, and enamelled figures. Le Musée Paul Dupuy - Châsse de saint-Exupère.jpg, 13th-century Chasse of Saint Exupère Image:Becket casket.jpg, The Becket Casket, c. 1180-1190, Limoges, with the popular subject of the martyrdom of
Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...
. File:Reliquary apostles angels MNMA Cl19966.jpg, Limoges, with apostles and angels File:St-Johann-Baptist-Köln-Gotischer-Antoninaschrein.jpg, Gothic goldsmith's chasse,
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
File:Chasse2.jpg, Very elaborate French 13th-century chasse reliquary of Saint Taurin, Évreux (Eure) File:Reliquary St Louis Toulouse MNMA Cl9700.jpg, Later French reliquary; certainly a house, but perhaps not a chasse


Notes


References

*Binski, Paul in: Jonathan Alexander & Paul Binski (eds), ''Age of Chivalry, Art in Plantagenet England, 1200-1400'', Royal Academy/Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1987 *Distelberger, Rudolf
''Western Decorative Arts: Medieval, Renaissance, and historicizing styles, including metalwork, enamels, and ceramics''
Catalogue of the collections of the
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in ...
, Oxford University Press US, 1993, , *Gauthier M-M. and François G., ''Émaux méridionaux: Catalogue international de l'oeuvre de Limoges - Tome I: Epoque romane'', Paris 1987 *Hahn, Cynthia. in Sears E. and others, ''Valerie's Gift: A Narrative Enamel Chasse from Limoges'', i
''Reading medieval images: the art historian and the object''
University of Michigan Press, 2002, ,

St Petersberg *Osborne, Harold (ed), ''The Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts'', 1975, OUP, *
Sotheby's Sotheby's ( ) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine art, fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...

St Valerie chasse
sold in Paris, 2007 *Stohlman, W. Frederick, ''Quantity Production of Limoges Champlevé Enamels'', ''
The Art Bulletin The College Art Association of America (CAA) is the principal organization in the United States for professionals in the visual arts, from students to art historians to emeritus faculty. Founded in 1911, it "promotes these arts and their understan ...
'', Vol. 17, No. 3 (Sep., 1935)
JSTOR
*"V&A
Reliquary chasse
from the
Victoria & Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
*"V&A plaque
Plaque showing murder of St Thomas Becket


Further reading

*J. P. O'Neill and T. Egan, eds., Enamels of Limoges, 1100-1350 (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Yale 1996


External links

* {{Authority control Vitreous enamel Romanesque art Containers Christian reliquaries Gothic art Medieval European metalwork objects Limoges enamel