Scenes from the Life of Christ

Floral and ornamental designs and coat of arms of Charles V on case; monstrance has 3 sections: pear-shaped pinnacle, oviform centre and hexagonal base;
scenes from life of Christ: pinnacle surmounted by Pelican in her piety, which is removable, thus releasing four petals into which the upper part is divided; these are depressed by a ratchet while figure of Virgin and Child rise in centre; inside are represented, in relief, Annunciation, Nativity, Circumcision and Adoration of the Magi; foliage in relief outside; body divided horizontally into two parts and opens on hinge; lower half contains Resurrection, Maries at the Sepulchre, Harrowing of Hell, etc; inscribed. all in full relief; upper half protected by two doors; within is Crucifixion with numerous figures of horsemen and others; inside doors are subjects in relief, Bearing of the Cross, Deposition; outside divided into eight arches filled with tracery and crocketed on the divisions; bottom of every other arch is niche with subject from the Passion: Mocking of Christ, Christ before Pilate, before Herod, Flagellation; gallery round middle divided by eight pinnacles; lower part covered with foliage, much undercut; hexagonal stem with three scenes in full relief: Entry into Jerusalem, Agony in the Garden and Betrayal; above are six crouching lions supporting a ring into which the stem fits; fitting into stem is group of three scenes under canopy: washing of the disciple's feet, scourging of the money-lenders in the Temple and the Last Supper [source: British Museum website]