Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sacred Silver & Stained Glass, Room 84, The Whiteley Galleries

Plaque

ca. 1530 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This plaque of St Matthew is one of four depicting the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the writers of the Four Gospels in the New Testament. St Matthew is represented with his 'attribute' or identifying symbol, a winged man.

The four plaques were probably once part of a large religious object such as a custodia, a towering architectural canopy which was carried over a monstrance during the annual parade and pageantry of the Corpus Christi festival. Custodias were unique to Spain and reflected a national appetite for massive silver forms.

A further 16 plaques thought to be from the same source are also in the V&A (M.510:1 to16-1956), depicting scenes from the life of Christ. They were possibly made by Enrique de Arfe, one of the most successful Renaissance goldsmiths in Spain, or by a goldsmith associated with his workshop. He trained in Cologne in Germany but spent much of his career on commissions for church silver, especially custodias, in Spanish cathedrals.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, parcel-gilt, raised, pierced and chased
Brief description
Silver, parcel-gilt, Spain, ca.1530, made by Enrique de Arfe (possibly)
Physical description
Circular curved plaque, pierced and embossed, depicting the Evangelist St Matthew with a winged man.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 5cm
Marks and inscriptions
Unmarked
Gallery label
SIX PLAQUES The curved plaques depict the four Evangelists with their identifying symbols: the angel of St Matthew, the winged lion of St Mark, the ox of St Luke and the eagle of St John. They were probably decorative fragments from a custodia. The flat plaques may have adorned a processional cross and show St John and the Virgin Mary, both in mourning for the death of Christ. The maker is possibly Enrique de Arfe, a native of Cologne who settled in Léon and founded one of Spain's most outstanding goldsmithing families, renowned for making massive custodia. Spain, about 1530, possibly by Enrique de Arfe Silver, parcel-gilt W.L. Hildburgh Bequest Museum nos. M.510:17-22-1956(22/11/2005)
Credit line
Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest
Historical context
The Spanish Church
The Catholic church dominated public and private life in Spain. Money and labour were lavished on religious art and images played a central role in daily worship. To ensure that goldsmiths focused on work for the crown and the church, the authorities brought in a series of sumptuary laws that limited the secular display of gems and precious metals.

By 1550 the silver mines in Peru and Mexico were generating enormous wealth for Spain and feeding the traditional taste for massive silver forms. They included the custodia, a towering architectural canopy that was unique to Spain. It was paraded through parishes during the Corpus Christi festival to display the Sacred Host (consecrated bread). The custodia embodied many characteristics of Spanish church plate. It was sculptural, highly visible and richly imaginative in design.

With the Counter Reformation, Spain became a triumphant defender of a revitalised Catholic faith. Silver altar vessels and entire altars, processional crosses, custodias and sanctuary lamps frequently appeared in goldsmiths' contracts.
Production
Possibly by de Arfe or a goldsmith associated with his workshop
Summary
This plaque of St Matthew is one of four depicting the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the writers of the Four Gospels in the New Testament. St Matthew is represented with his 'attribute' or identifying symbol, a winged man.

The four plaques were probably once part of a large religious object such as a custodia, a towering architectural canopy which was carried over a monstrance during the annual parade and pageantry of the Corpus Christi festival. Custodias were unique to Spain and reflected a national appetite for massive silver forms.

A further 16 plaques thought to be from the same source are also in the V&A (M.510:1 to16-1956), depicting scenes from the life of Christ. They were possibly made by Enrique de Arfe, one of the most successful Renaissance goldsmiths in Spain, or by a goldsmith associated with his workshop. He trained in Cologne in Germany but spent much of his career on commissions for church silver, especially custodias, in Spanish cathedrals.
Collection
Accession number
M.510:17-1956

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Record createdFebruary 4, 2005
Record URL
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