Reliquary bust of Saint Cecilia; Renaissance school; Century XVI.

Reliquary bust of Saint Cecilia; Renaissance school; 16th century.
Carved and polychromed wood.
It presents faults and flaws in the carving.
Measurements: 28 x 21 x 11 cm.
Reliquary in the form of a sculpture in which the carving takes the form of the bust of Saint Ursula, which is known by the inscription on the lower part of the base. Inscribed on a pedestal, the young saint acquires a hieratic, but at the same time delicate and subtle gesture that is defined by the detail of the sculptural treatment of the face, marked by symmetry and delicate features of small dimensions. This same skill can also be seen in the treatment of the fabric covering the neck and in the treatment of the curls of the hair. Reliquaries of this type were somewhat common from the Gothic period onwards, usually referred to as "testas" in documentation contemporary to their production and used to contain relics of the head, as carvings of arms, etc. were used for relics of other parts of the saint's body. It should be remembered, however, that at that time practically any item that had been in contact with the saint or his mortal remains (cloths, burial soil, etc.) was considered to be a sacred relic. The best examples were made of precious metals, but specimens such as the present one were also highly valued, both for their container and, above all, for their content. The evolution of the centuries can be seen in the details of the carvings.