Pax
- Place of origin:
Ascoli Piceno, Italy (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
Coticchia, Alessandro (designer and maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Credit Line:
Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Medieval and Renaissance, room 50c, case 1
- Download image
Paxes were kissed by the congregation in the 'Kiss of Peace', during the ceremony of the Mass. The action of the congregation mirrored that of the Virgin Mary and the Franciscan monk depicted in the image, who also kiss the Dead Christ. This image, known as the Man of Sorrows, was a standard one for paxes.
The inscription commemorates the goldsmith Alessandro Coticchia. It also mentions 'Fra Pietro of Ascoli', presumably the friar who commissioned the piece. Alessandro was almost certainly a goldsmith of Ascoli Piceno, perhaps a descendant of Francesco di Paolino, known as Coticchia, who had worked in the city in the early sixteenth century. The surname 'Coticchia' is still a common one in the Marche.
Physical description
Silver gilt pax in the form of a tabernacle, with added plaques of niello on silver. In the tympanum, Christ in Majesty blessing with an orb in his left hand. In the centre, Christ as Man of Sorrows sits on the tomb, with crucifix behind. He is supported by the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist. A Franciscan monk kneels at bottom left and kisses Christ's hand.
Place of Origin
Ascoli Piceno, Italy (made)
Date
1547 (made)
Artist/maker
Coticchia, Alessandro (designer and maker)
Materials and Techniques
Silver gilt with niello
Marks and inscriptions
PACEM . MEAM . DO . VOBIS I give my peace to you. [John 14:27]
FR. PETRVS . DEAScVLO GVARDIANVS. / ALISANDRO . COTICHIA . FECIT . 1547 The guardian Fra Pietro of Ascoli. / Alessandro Coticchia made this 1547.
Hildburgh 2089
Dimensions
Height: 13.4 cm, Width: 9.7 cm, Depth: 5.2 cm, Weight: 0.22 kg
Object history note
This object was acquired as part of the Hildburgh bequest. Nothing is known of where Dr Hildburgh acquired it.
The image of the Franciscan monk is presumably intended to represent Fra Petrus, the sacristan of a convent in Ascoli. Ascoli was an important centre for the Franciscan movement in the Marche, and there are a number of possible churches from which this object could have come - notably the churches of S. Francesco in Ascoli Piceno and S. Giacomo della Marca in nearby Monteprandone.
Historical context note
Paxes were kissed by the congregation in the 'Kiss of Peace', during the ceremony of the Mass. Thus, the action of the congregation, kissing the image of the Man of Sorrows, mirrored the actions of the Virgin Mary and the Franciscan monk depicted in the image. The image of the Man of Sorrows was a standard one for paxes, and the quotation from the Gospel of St John makes the link between image and ceremony even clearer.
Descriptive line
Pax, silver gilt with niello, Italian, 1547
Production Note
The inscription commemorates the goldsmith as Alessandro Coticchia. It also mentions 'Fra Pietro of Ascoli', presumably the monk who commissioned it. Although Alessandro is not listed in Thieme-Becker or the Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon, he was almost certainly a goldsmith of Ascoli, perhaps a descendant of Francesco di Paolino, known as Coticchia, who had worked in the city in the early sixteenth century. The surname 'Coticchia' is still a common one in the Marche.
Materials
Silver-gilt; Niello
Techniques
Casting; Niello
Subjects depicted
Mary (Virgin Mary); John (Saint John the Evangelist); Man of Sorrows
Categories
Metalwork; Christianity
Collection code
MET
