Sacred Works and Secular Folk Art
The monastic world is a special world of its own. This is also evident in the manifold sacred arts and crafts produced by skilled monks and nuns for their own use in the monastery or for sale. They were created with infinite patience, without any thought of profit. These objects are small altars, images of saints embroidered with glass beads, carved madonnas, reliquaries, finely outfitted baby dolls in swaddling and much more.
The transition from sacred art to folk art is flowing and can often only be distinguished by the subject matter. Most objects from everyday life can be considered as belonging to the folk art category. Even in earlier times, talented craftsmen “designed” their products, i.e., they gave the objects a beautiful and practical form. The boundary between folk art and “higher” arts and crafts is therefore fluid. Is a fine glass painting from the early 17th century or a richly engraved pewter jug folk art or already artisanal handicraft? You can find the answer to this question in our auction exhibitions and also bid for a wide variety of objects yourself.
