Bischof, Reliquienbüste, Kirchenvater Augustinus ?, Hl. Dionysius von Paris ?

The bust of a bishop served as a reliquary. In the eyes of the faithful, the value of the relics far exceeded that of the work of art. The so-called "talking reliquary" was a special type of reliquary, the outer shape of which directly referred to the relic inside. The most common were bust reliquaries, in which the saint appeared to the believer virtually face to face.

The bust possibly depicts the church father Augustine, who was considered one of the most important theologians of his time. His best-known work is the autobiographical "Confessiones" (Confessions), written around 400, in which he described his early life and his conversion.

Due to the iconography of the severed head, however, this could also be a depiction of St Dionysius of Paris.