September 24

Stylistic and Theological Complexity in Mosan Enamels (c. 1140–1180)

Bernát Rácz

Among the metalworking and enamel schools of the twelfth century, Mosan art stands out for its complex intellectual qualities. While perhaps not as colorful or vivid visually as the works of the southern enamel schools, its emphasis on classical forms and strong narrative content makes it unique even among other northern enamel centers. This emphasis on intellectual and theological content is evident in complex scenes used to compare important episodes from the Old Testament and the life of Christ, reflecting contemporary theology (The Bronze Serpent, the Sacrifice of Isaac, the Marking of the Tau, Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph, etc.). However, this typological emphasis is only one aspect, since Mosan art also addresses hagiographic narratives interwoven with the Passion of Christ, ultimately focusing on Eucharistic themes. Characters in Mosan art are often depicted as the elect or in moments of revelation (The Marking of the Tau, The Washing of the Feet, Constantine’s Vision of the Cross, The Discovery of the Holy Cross).

These multilayered enamels were part of complex liturgical objects that would have played important roles in the veneration of relics. Inspired by Carolingian and Byzantine metalwork, Mosan artists began experimenting with shapes to create highly interwoven narrative compositions. To this end, they used, for example, triptychs to carry on the traditions of Byzantine staurothekes, but these still could not rival the extremely interconnected scenes. A solution came in the form of the quatrefoil arrangement, which, while a universal form, actually had a long tradition in the former Carolingian heartlands: as early as the ninth century, several manuscripts had already experimented with creating such geometric narratives—primarily for book covers—developing quatrefoil- and lozenge-shaped compositions. The invention of freestanding quatrefoil reliquaries established a form that lived up to the refined style and unique narratives. Furthermore, these scenes also allowed for an interrelation with the central relic, which in some cases (the Lobbes phylactery) was visible in some form. In other cases, the hidden relic in the central part or behind the enamels surrounding the central piece would have been fully integrated into the narratives, since the religious communities using these artworks would have been aware of which relic lay behind each part of the reliquary. In the case of phylacteries, in contrast to triptychs, a significantly greater freedom of movement and display was possible, since these reliquaries were often hung, which also made it possible to carry them around. These hanging reliquaries, filled with reflective and shimmering materials that are transformed by light, create worlds of their own. The shapes of quatrefoil reliquaries also evoke the impression of a cosmic sphere, since the quatrefoil, in addition to representing the cross, also symbolizes the world. Thus, phylacteries can be regarded as one of the greatest innovations of Mosan art in the way they bring together all these aspects of the sensory experience.

Among phylacteries and quatrefoil compositions, the recently discovered fragments of the Pétermonostora reliquary stand out. Usually, only small Mosan artworks survive, but this large Mosan masterpiece—discovered in the Kingdom of Hungary among the ruins of a monastery destroyed by the Mongols in 1241—adds significant context to both the iconography of Mosan art and our understanding of quatrefoil reliquaries. These fragments reveal a uniquely high-quality Mosan artwork of a distinctive style that was most likely a freestanding quatrefoil reliquary. In addition to its many stylistic and iconographic peculiarities (the Ascension and the Washing of the Feet, the latter featuring a double narrative), technological investigations have also revealed fascinating details about this reliquary. Based on inscriptions revealed beneath the enamel surface using industrial CT scans, it appears that not only did the central part of the artwork contain relics, but the large compartments behind the enamel were also used as relic containers. This demonstrates how new technological approaches and archaeological work can significantly expand our knowledge of medieval enamels.