UC Riverside

A group of early modern German prints related to relic displays, reliquaries, and collecting, though explored by Heinrich Otte in the mid-1800s, has been ignored in recent art historical literature. Though references to the various prints appear in texts on social, cultural, and religious history, a more in-depth consideration of the works is warranted. This thesis, as a preliminary step, categorizes the prints into two sub-groups, narrative and index. It further utilizes the intriguing relationships embodied in the prints to trace societal and cultural changes, including the rise of event reporting, collecting and organization of knowledge, and changes in religious practices.