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LEOPOLD

In the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in České Budějovice we can find the reliquary of St. Auracián, which was the inspiration for this exhibit. It is made of silver and has the shape of a chest, which is made of glass in some parts. In the center of the reliquary lies the skull of St. Auracián, which is decorated with metal leaves. Inside, there are glass obelisks with smaller relics on the sides. In the case of Leopold, I have linked Auracián with St. John of Nepomuk and added symbolism in the form of chains and locks that protrude from the four obelisks and do not allow the skull to symbolically speak, as they lock its jaw.

The legend of St. John of Nepomuk is that his death was related to keeping the Queen's confessional secret, which he refused to divulge. The plaster skull was originally painted in the style of the skulls from the ossuary in Hallstatt, Austria, and the inscription was retained due to the complexity of its painting (painted in acrylic paint using the sharp point of a pin).