The Apocalypse of John describes the Kingdom of Heaven in terms of a gold and jeweled brilliance:
“And the building of the wall thereof was of jasper stone: but the city itself pure gold, like to clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper: the second, sapphire: the third, a chalcedony: the fourth, an emerald: The fifth, sardonyx: the sixth, sardius: the seventh, chrysolite: the eighth, beryl: the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a chrysoprasus: the eleventh, a jacinth: the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, one to each: and every several gate was of one several pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (Rev. 12:18-22)
Many objects of devotion were thus created out of gold, precious stones, and enamels to emulate the purported radiance of this New Jerusalem By gazing on these artistic objects, one could escape the mundane and glimpse, albeit incompletely, the beauty of the celestial.