Throughout history countless people have been inspired to produce works of art. Some were inspired by secular ideals and were commissioned to do pieces for their patrons. Others were inspired by religion and a deep sense of reverence for the divine. One type of art form that has been prominently inspired by religious devotion is the reliquary. For many years, people have found ways to store chunks of sacred people into majestic pieces that have continued to capture the importance of those people to this day. In particular, I will be looking at two specific pieces. The 19th century mbulu ngulu guardian reliquary figure of the Kota people of Gabon, and the 12th century reliquary of St. Alexander (also known as Pope Alexander II). Although these…show more content… Perhaps the most apparent difference is the materials used. In the case of St. Alexander’s reliquary, the piece is lavishly decorated with materials like beaten silver, gilt bronze, as well as gems, pearls, and enamel. Whereas the mbulu ngulu is much more simplistic in nature, and is decorated with materials like wood, copper, and brass. (Gardner 566) Tied into the materials, another visible difference is the hairstyles of the two pieces. While the mbulu ngulu’s hairstyle is fairly abstract, and simplistic, with a flattened out hairstyle above, and beside the face (Gardner 566). St Alexander’s reliquary, on the other hand, is much more elegant, and closely resembles Roman/Byzantine hairstyle at the time. The bodies of the two pieces are also an important difference. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the mbulu ngulu’s body is its diamond shape, which is artfully detailed with geometric borders, ridges, and subdivisions. (Gardner 566) While the body of St Alexander’s reliquary is much more rectangular in shape, and is adorned with gemstones, enamel, and christian iconography, including portraits of Saint Eventius, Alexander, and Theodulus. (Gardner 181) Another key difference between the two pieces lies in the body style. In the case of St. Alexander’s reliquary, his piece is largely Byzantine in modeling, whereas the mbulu ngulu is much more traditional, and…show more content… Although the pieces differ in who’s being represented (whether that be a pope or a guardian spirit), they both symbolize the relics of individual people. To the people who made these pieces (and to the community of devotees who venerated them) they served as visual representations of the people who have passed on. Whether that be in the form of an ancestor or a deceased pope, the reverence that these pieces instilled was a very important reason as to why these pieces were constructed. In St. Alexander’s case, his reliquary was commissioned for Abbot Wilbald of Stavelot, Belgium, and was largely made to elaborately display his relics for all those to see (hence the elaborate materials). (Gardner 181) The mbulu ngulu guardian figure, however, was largely constructed by the Kota as a way to protect the deceased ancestor. For the Kota people, not only did these pieces allow them to protect their ancestors, but they also provided meaning in other aspects of ancestor veneration as well. For example, to the Kota, not only did the figurative forms of these pieces reinforce and display the power of the reliquary that it was bound to, (Reliquary Guardian) but the gleaming surfaces from the copper and brass also served as a way to repel evil. (Gardner
