Holy Thorn Reliquary

This French reliquary (1390s), made for Jean, Duke of Berry, is crafted from gold, enamel, pearls, sapphires, and rubies. The close-up shows God the Father enthroned within a radiant sunburst, surrounded by enamelled angels, directing the viewer’s eye toward the thorn believed to come from Christ’s Crown of Thorns. A masterpiece of late medieval Parisian goldsmithing, the Holy Thorn Reliquary was created to honor one of the most revered relics of the French monarchy.