Exhibition in Brussels of a Mosan treasure from Hungarian soil

The Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels are showing two exceptional Mosan enamel plaques discovered during excavations of the monastic complex at Pétermonostora, Hungary in exhibition. Some years ago I reported on the remarkable finds from this abbey church that was destroyed during the Mongol invasion. Research on the objects has progressed a great deal since then, and the time is now right for an exhibition showing the enamel plaques discovered at Pétermonostora in the company of similar artworks. 

As the museum website points out, Mosan enamels found in an archaeological context are exceptionally rare. These two semicircular plaques, decorated with figurative champlevé enamels depicting the Ascension of Christ and the Washing of the Feet, were made around 1170 by a goldsmith trained in the Mosan tradition. They most probably formed part of the remains of a large polylobed phylactery reliquary, destroyed when the abbey was sacked during the Mongol invasion of 1241–1242. Beyond the spectacular nature of this discovery, these works shed new light on artistic, religious, and commercial exchanges between the Mosan region and medieval Hungary.

The plaques are displayed at the heart of the Treasure Room of the museums, alongside emblematic examples of Mosan art, such as the Stavelot portable altar and the reliquary gables from Maastricht. They are accompanied by a reconstruction of the two enamels produced by Pazirik Ltd. The exhibition will be on view until April 11, 2027.

Complementing the exhibition, an international study day will bring together researchers and specialists on 20 November 2026 to explore this exceptional discovery in greater depth, furthering the study of the fragments and examining the relationships between the Mosan region and Central Europe during the Middle Ages.

If you would like to know more about the reliquary and its archaeological and art historical context, I highly recommend the book by Bernát Rácz, who provides an in-depth analysis of the enamel plaques. You can obtain the book directly from the publisher, Archaeopress.