Treasury of Basel Cathedral

The medieval Treasury of the Basel Minster miraculously survived earthquakes, wars, iconoclasm, and the Reformation, only to be dispersed in the early nineteenth century. More than half of its holdings are now in the Historisches Museum Basel, while the remainder are in museum collections all over the world. This book presents more than seventy-five of these splendid ecclesiastical and secular objects from the Basel Minster, dating from the early eleventh through the early sixteenth century, spanning the Early Romanesque period to the Reformation. Most of the works are of gold and silver - many encrusted with precious stones, antique gems, or translucent enamels - but there are also textiles and objects of hardstone, rock crystal, bronze, and wood, including the doors of the original storage cupboards. All are reproduced in full colour and comprehensively discussed. The four essays in the volume focus on the history of medieval Basel and on the function of cathedral treasuries, with particular emphasis on the Basel Treasury and its contents. This beautiful book is the catalogue for an exhibition of objects from the Treasury held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 28 February to 27 May 2001