Images of Medieval Art and Architecture

The Treasure of Saint Denis

Shrine of Saint Louis

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Description

Shrine made of gilded vermeil decorated with some precious stones. The majority of the bones of Saint Louis, King of France, are enclosed in it. This shrine is ornamented with figures, representing the Virtues, each with their attributes, and above the Twelve Peers of France are painted in enamels in as many round frames. It was Louis of Bourbon who had this magnificent shrine made while he was abbot of Saint Denis.

Félibien, pages 544. Translated by Jane Vadnal.

History

• The relics of Saint Louis were housed successively in several shrines- the one shown above is the last of them.
• Louis of Bourbon was Abbot of Saint Denis from 1529 to 1557.
• Melted down in 1794.

Bibliography

Conway (1915) p. 112. Click here for text.

Félibien, pages 394 and 544.

Louvre, pp. 25, 199, 317, 319.

Montesquiou-Fezensac, I and II, no. 192, III, pp 16-7, 75, 93, 113.

FÉLIBIEN PLATE V	SAINT-DENIS TREASURES	SAINT-DENIS MAIN PAGE	FRANCE	INTRODUCTION

Last updated by:JV Date: November 28, 2006