“Binding plate of Saint Remi”
I adore art from the Carolingian period… This is a beautiful example of the style.
“Binding plate of Saint Remi” is an ivory and gilded bronze relief panel by an unknown artist. It was carved in Reims, France, in around 880 AD during the Carolingian period of the Frankish Empire. This inlay, divided into threes, depicts stories from the life of Saint Remi. It was most likely meant to be used as a book cover, probably a Bible.
Saint Remi, or Saint Remigius, was the Bishop of Reims, France, who lived from circa 437 to 533. He was born into a wealthier family, received a lot of training early in his life, and was noted for his extreme intelligence and learning. At just age 21, he was elected the Bishop of Reims. He is most remembered for baptizing King Clovis I, the first King of the Franks to successfully unite many of the Frankish tribes. After his baptism, Clovis I introduced and helped spread Christianity throughout modern day Germany.
The three stories told in this inlay are as follows. The top shows Saint Remi resurrecting a girl from Toulouse who had already died. The middle panel shows Saint Remi obtaining vials of the holy chrism from God, an anointing oil, so he is able to baptize a dying man. In the bottom panel, Saint Remi is shown baptizing King Clovis I as the king’s Christian wife looks on.
The Carolingian period was named after Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, who created a vast empire uniting the majority of western Europe under one rule. The art made during this period is known as the Carolingian Renaissance, and it lasted from the late eighth through the tenth centuries. During this time, there was a concerted effort carried out by monastic centers in places such as Germany, France, and Italy, to create a unified art style inspired by classical Mediterranean art. In addition to increased studying and learning, there was a renewed desire to better represent the human form as in the Greek and Roman times. This helped set the stage for the development of Romanesque and Gothic art.
Illuminated manuscripts bound by ivory relief panels like this one here, are the best surviving art pieces from this Pre-Romanesque period. This little piece is quite beautiful. So intricate with so much detail…
“Binding plate of Saint Remi” is part of the collections of the Musée de Picardie in Amiens, France.
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