Beautiful antique French canivet relic circa early 1800s. A "canivet" relic is an art form associated with holy pictures, and it was probably born in France in the 13th century or thereabouts. With this craft, the holy pictures are realized as a mixed-media piece. It often includes silk fabrics, gold wire, ribbons, paper flowers, and needlework using chromos, textiles, and a plethora of other materials. The French and Italians are famous for this type of art. Some are flat "cards," while others are housed in ornate "reliquaries".
Works of art such as this were left almost exclusively to the hands of monks and nuns in medieval monasteries and convents. They used to craft them as expressions of Christian faith and spiritual exercises, going beyond prayer. Today, it is commonplace, and we might call it a flat mixed-media piece.
This particular piece was once framed, but the frame is gone. It consists of six separate layers. The backing piece that held it into the frame. On top of that is deep silk cranberry layer. On top of that is a paper that has been cut to form an oval crown of thorns. On top of that is a mustard fabric cut to form the sunburst behind the heart. There is a thick paper cross at the top of the gold fabric with a gold layer of fabric on it. The top layer is the heart itself. A paper embossed piece that has been painted and sanded. This piece is beyond stunning and measures 3.6" x 3". As time passes, these will only get harder and harder to find.
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