Object description : "Unique Reliquary Casket wear the The Head Of Saint Eutropia, Martyr was in - Italy, 18th Century" Reliquary. A rare and spectacular reliquary casket in gilt and polychrome wood, in the shape of an inverted pyramid, glazed on all four sides and surmounted by a central finial. Description: The molded frame, richly decorated with carved scrolls and cherubs, features a blue background veined with gold, typical of 18th-century Italian Baroque workshops. This adornment, typical of relics from catacombs or of Roman martyrs, illustrates the Baroque devotion dedicated to the exaltation of the cult of saints through ornamental beauty. This type of reliquary, with its rare balance of architecture, symbolism, and ornamental virtuosity, was used for the public display of a major relic in a convent or urban church. Dimensions: H. 70 cm x W. 51 cm x D. 34 cm Condition: Very good overall condition, some wear and retouching to the gilt decoration, one broken pane of glass, the whole in a fine state of preservation and authenticity. Historical Commentary: The relics of martyred saints, often from the Roman catacombs, were enshrined in reliquaries of this type from the 17th century onwards, after authentication by ecclesiastical authorities. These representations, known as corpora sanctorum, aimed to embody the heavenly glory of the martyr through a magnified earthly form. The presence of the name "Eutropia" refers to several well-known martyrs, notably Saint Eutropia of Nicomedia, celebrated for her steadfastness in faith in the face of persecution. This is an exceptional piece, extremely rare on the market, comparable to examples held in the Museum of the Treasures of the Catacombs in Rome or in Austrian and Bavarian convent collections.