Eucharistic Dove
Coming from the Milanese basilica of the Holy Apostles and Nazaro Maggiore, this refined sacred vase in the shape of a dove, an allusive representation of the Holy Spirit, was created with the function of collecting the consecrated hosts. The head and body are made up of two shaped, connected copper plates, completed with thin engravings; on the back there is a cavity where the hosts were inserted. The wings and tail are in champlevé enamel, a technique which consists in the use of a fused “cell” base which holds glass powders of different colours. The refined enamels feature colors in shades of blue, light blue and white, with some touches of red and light and dark green.
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Artwork details
- Artist:
- Bottega limosina (?) – Bottega milanese (?), fine secondo decennio del XIII secolo
- Title:
- Eucharistic Dove
- Date:
- c. 1215-1220
- Medium and technique:
- Champlevé enamels on gilded copper foil, metal (brass?)
- Dimensions:
- 16,3 × 6,5 × 15,9 cm
- Inventory:
- MD 2007.129.002
- Location
-
Location: Works from the Diocese, Treasury of Saint Nazarius, ground floor
The precious works in the “Treasury of San Nazaro”, on loan to the Diocesan Museum from the Basilica of the Holy Apostles and Saint Nazarius the Greater, the ancient Basilica Apostolorum commissioned by Ambrose in the fourth century, have been housed since 2017 in a specially designed display case by architect Antonio Piva, made by Laboratorio Goppion.
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