Custodia in Marmo Nella Tribuna Della Chiesa Matrice 1892

Editor: Here we have Giuseppe Barberis’s marble carving, "Custodia in Marmo Nella Tribuna Della Chiesa Matrice," from 1892. It's quite a sight – very intricate and ornate. The sheer amount of detail carved into the marble is astounding. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: What strikes me is the incredible labor embedded in this object. Think of the quarries, the transportation, the skilled artisans, each contributing to its creation. We see not just religious iconography, but the weight of an entire economic system invested in this 'Custodia'. Editor: That’s a compelling perspective. It shifts the focus from the spiritual to the material. Curator: Exactly. This work isn’t merely about faith; it's about the raw materials extracted and transformed through intense physical labor and the social hierarchies it embodies. How does the piece’s location within the church inform our understanding of that labor? Editor: I hadn't really considered its placement... I suppose it being in the 'mother church' emphasizes the wealth and power involved in commissioning and creating something this elaborate. Curator: Precisely. Now consider the act of consumption here, not of a commodity in a traditional sense, but of spiritual reassurance purchased, in part, through witnessing the display of such concentrated material wealth and craft. What does that suggest about the relationship between the Church and its followers at the time? Editor: It creates a complex interplay between religious devotion and social standing, almost a performance of faith through material consumption and production. It wasn't something I had considered until now. Curator: Indeed, an object lesson on the many hands, both visible and invisible, involved in making even something intended for the divine. Editor: It’s a good reminder to look beyond the surface and to consider what lies beneath – or, perhaps, within – the artwork. Thanks!