Reliquary of St Sigismund
by FOGGINI, Giambattista, Ebony, silver, gilded bronze, hard stones, height 58 cm
This reliquary is dedicated to St Sigismund, the first Christian king of Burgundy. The central scene portrays his miraculous appearance to a group of injured youths. The structure of the reliquary is made of ebony, the figures are silver, the decorations in gilded bronze, while the small fruits are made of semiprecious stones. This combination of precious materials with different chromatic effects is typical of late baroque art at the Florentine court. The reliquary was produced in the grand ducal workshops under the direction of Foggini.