Ontwerp voor een cylindrische reliekhouder c. 1760 - 1780

Luigi Valadier sketched this design for a cylindrical reliquary in pen and ink. Note the combination of precise lines defining the object's form, with a more gestural use of wash, indicating the play of light on its surface. It is tempting to focus on the design itself, but I find myself wondering about the materiality. Valadier specifies the use of "cristallo," indicating that this was to be a clear, precious container. But what about the base, the stem, and the crowning ornament? These were likely intended to be made of precious metal. In Valadier’s time, the production of such an object would have been highly specialized. Mining and refining the materials, blowing the glass, silversmithing, and the final assembly - all these processes would have involved various forms of highly skilled labor, coordinated to produce an object of beauty and devotion. This design gives us a glimpse into this world. It shows not only the aesthetics of the period but also the complex realities of production. It reminds us that objects like this reliquary were not just things of beauty, but also products of labor.