Hagiography and the History of Latin Christendom, 500-1500 ed. by Samantha Kahn Herrick (review)

Abstract

JMRC_48_2_06_Book_Reviews.indd Page 257 22/07/22 4:42 PM gives a sense of the complex and shifting histories of the Passion relics over centuries, as they moved around Europe and the Holy Land, reaching diverse audiences and accruing varied and overlapping meanings and uses. Yet the broad geographical and chronological scope of this study means that at times Hahn’s analysis jumps rapidly from one image or object to another, thus perhaps losing both a sense of how uses and perceptions of Passion relics changed over time, and the nuances and insights that result from detailed analysis. Indeed, the most effective parts of this study are Hahn’s sustained analyses of single objects, particularly her discussions of the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlštejn Castle, devised by Charles IV of Bohemia in the 1360s to house his collection of Passion relics, and the enameled Toulouse châsse made in the late twelfth century to contain a True Cross reliquary. Here, with a thorough elucidation of the unusual iconography of the châsse, Hahn skilfully shows how the reception of this relic was shaped by its role in the gift economy, its political and royal associations, and its specific geographical context in the Abbey of Saint-Sernin and the city of Toulouse. In her introduction, Hahn expresses a hope that her work will be accessible to students, advanced scholars, and the curious public. With this book, she has successfully achieved this goal; it is a rich and engaging contribution to the study of Passion relics, and medieval devotion to the Passion more broadly, which has much to offer newcomers to the field and scholars alike.