FEDERICO’S RETAIL PRICE: $6500 (see 3rd from the last photo)

ABOUT RELICARIOS:

When the Spaniards and Portuguese set out to explore and conquer the New World for the Crown, Church and themselves, their meager personal possessions included devotional items to inspire and comfort them in their perilous journeys: They brought with them rosaries, crosses, medals, triptychs, and small lockets containing religious imagery that were known as relicarios. In the Americas and the Philippines during the colonial era these lockets evolved into a unique genre of devotional jewelry and artistic expression.Miniatures of the saints for use as relicarios were painted on copper, vellum, ivory, tin, card, glass and other materials and set inside gold, brass or silver frames.

This depicts the traditional style of painting that originated after the 1534 Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire..This style of traditional painting, was painted with an artistic expression & was based in Cuzco, Peru during the Colonial period from the 16th to the 18th Centuries.In present-day Latin America, relicarios have been largely relegated to museum shelves.. They are the very essence of Latin America's rich artistic history by way of Spain.

************************

ABOUT THIS RELICARIO:

Made in the 1920's this Relicario is hand painted & is reversible AND detachable.. On one side shows the beautifully painted mother with a turban headdress,has a draped shawl over her Kaftan appearing dress as she looks to be getting ready to breastfeed her baby..She has almost a "Moorish" feel based on her attire. She is painted with gold metallic paints & is set behind glass.

The reversed side is a man who appears to be Jesus, while holding the baby child. There is a stem of blooming flowers under his left arm, while there is a painted wooden table at the bottom. Again, lots of gold metallic paint in the picture. The frame is heavy silver with a twisted wire border.

This originally was non-detachable when it was 1st put together & the problem with that was that one side of the relicario could never be seen! So what we did was opened up the shepherds hook (It was originally soldered to the base-See photos 7 & 9 as it now.) so it makes the necklace & Relicario more versatile & the Relicario totally detachable. You can now wear the Relicario on whatever side that calls your name for the day!

*************************

THE KNEELING ANGEL NECKLACE:

Loving anything with a historical story as well as ultimate beauty,Federico has been an avid collector of historical artifacts from different time periods since being a young man in his homeland of Oaxaca..He also been an avid collector of historical Native American pieces,1500-1900 Spanish Colonial, historical Mayan pieces,plus so much more..He's also has been a serious collector of jewelry that was made during the height of the 'Mexican Silver Renaissance' days (With the focus on Taxco) & there are pieces that he 're-made' where he pays homage to the original artist, in order to keep their designs alive..The latter is where these Angels come in..

These "KNEELING ANGELS" were actually inspired from an old Matilde Poulat design (aka: "Matl") where her own inspirations came from the Oaxaca archaeological sites, with Monte Alban in particular. Her pieces leaned toward Oaxaca "Folk Art" & they would be designed with lots of 'Angels & Doves" & very baroque in design. He is a big collector of this artist's works as am I..

The necklace is made with 8 Kneeling Angels where each are designed holding a candlestick that has a small 3mm cab of Italian red coral. What is SO beautiful about this necklace is what acts as "spacers" to add additional length, are little CHERUB ANGELS & Oaxaca gloved hands that seem to appear to hold the angels up.The hand that holds the Relicario is absolutely beautiful & has a Paloma & flower that sit atop if the hand. The finale ends with 3 gloved hand spacers that lead to the heart closure that has a flying dove that sits atop..

Being that the Relicario is detachable,you can wear this without the painting & alone as is! Because this has a shepherds hook that is behind the center hand, you can put another pendant on the angel necklace & change the whole thing around!

This is one of the best "Devotional Art-Colonial Art" necklaces I've witnessed & with all it's beauty & religious design going on throughout, I would think one may feel even closer to God, as well as feeling protected by our angels ..A true 'Collector's piece"!!

I have another one more that will be listed that has St Rafael on one side & Jesus holding a child on the other!(See last 2 photos)