St. Baudime Bust Analysis
The busts were made to give honor to the saints for their contributions of martyrdom and spreading their faith through good deeds. These reliquary busts may had contain fragments of each saint’s remains. For St. Baudime, it was his blood and for St. Balbina, it was her skull. While the bust may seem similar, they differ in more ways than previously mentioned. The bust of St Baudime was made in Auvergne in present-day France. Meanwhile, the bust of St. Balbina was possibly made in Belgium, near the South Netherlands. The St. Baudime bust was made of copper-gilt over walnut core, horn, and ivory. So at least the maker of the Baudime bust had a grasp of early metalworking processes going on. The St. Baudime bust was made in the mid-12th century
around the years 1146 to 1178. Those years kept the beliefs and practices of the central Middle Ages or the Romanesque Period alive. The Baudime bust was displayed at church altars. This was done for visitors who were on pilgrimages if they wanted to see what the bust was like. The style is depicting Baudime as noble and proclamatory, with his hands raised and fingers gestured evenly. The garment he wears features symbols that hint of sermon practice.
The St. Balbina bust was made of just painted and gilded oak. It was made during the 16th century around 1520 to 1530. These years were held for the later Middle Ages or the Gothic Period. Any detail of a saint’s remains, no matter how minute, were of great importance. So there were special containers made just to keep the remnants in tact. It was not about the container itself, but more of the remains that the object was holding. As for the depicting style, St. Balbina is presented as a wholesome-looking woman. She has long, braided blonde hair draped on her shoulders. Her face, complete with rosy-cheek highlights, shows a mixed expression of lucidity near the curved cheeks. The chin and neck region make St. Balbina more stern and reserved in the face of obfuscated obstruction. There is a feel of influentiality upon viewing the virgin bust.
around the years 1146 to 1178. Those years kept the beliefs and practices of the central Middle Ages or the Romanesque Period alive. The Baudime bust was displayed at church altars. This was done for visitors who were on pilgrimages if they wanted to see what the bust was like. The style is depicting Baudime as noble and proclamatory, with his hands raised and fingers gestured evenly. The garment he wears features symbols that hint of sermon practice.
The St. Balbina bust was made of just painted and gilded oak. It was made during the 16th century around 1520 to 1530. These years were held for the later Middle Ages or the Gothic Period. Any detail of a saint’s remains, no matter how minute, were of great importance. So there were special containers made just to keep the remnants in tact. It was not about the container itself, but more of the remains that the object was holding. As for the depicting style, St. Balbina is presented as a wholesome-looking woman. She has long, braided blonde hair draped on her shoulders. Her face, complete with rosy-cheek highlights, shows a mixed expression of lucidity near the curved cheeks. The chin and neck region make St. Balbina more stern and reserved in the face of obfuscated obstruction. There is a feel of influentiality upon viewing the virgin bust.