Chalice
1702 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Chalices like this were used to hold the consecrated sacramental wine during the Orthodox Eucharist. This ceremony is central to all denominations of Christian faith. It is held to commemorate the Last Supper, the meal taken by Christ and his disciples on the day before the crucifixion. It is described as a simple meal during which Christ bestowed symbolic significance on the bread and wine. The ritual taking of bread and wine is therefore central to Christian faith. In the Orthodox Church every communicant receives wine and bread offered in relatively large chalices such as this one.
The decoration of the chalice follows the Orthodox tradition and includes quotes from the Gospels and pictures relating to the Passion of Christ. In addition to its complex religious symbolic and importance as liturgical silver, the chalice is also a fine example of Russian goldsmithing of the early 17th century.
This chalice is on loan to the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
The decoration of the chalice follows the Orthodox tradition and includes quotes from the Gospels and pictures relating to the Passion of Christ. In addition to its complex religious symbolic and importance as liturgical silver, the chalice is also a fine example of Russian goldsmithing of the early 17th century.
This chalice is on loan to the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Raised, chased silver and silver-gilt with applied gold and polychrome enamel plaques and reliefs |
| Brief description | Silver, silver-gilt, gold and enamel chalice standing on a spreading circular foot. |
| Physical description | Large chalice on domed circular foot, faceted baluster stem and rounded bowl with curved rim; the top rim engraved with inscription; the bowl applied with chased cagework of flowers, enamelled cherubim and scrolling foliage and decorated with six gold and enamel plaques depicting the Crucifixion, Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist, and the archangels Michael and Gabriel, and four of originally six inscribed cartouches; the facets of the baluster stem applied with enamelled cherubim plaques; the upper part of the foot applied with six gold and enamel plaques depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ, the lower part of the foot chased with cherubim alternativing with three cartouches with engraved inscriptions |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | The chalice is unmarked but can be attributed to the Kremlin workshops because of its strong similarities to a several late 17th century chalices with well-documented provenance from these workshops. That the Gilbert chalice was commissioned by Sampson for the cathedral [The Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God] is highly likely, given the information provided by the cartouche inscriptions. The date 1702 marks what would have been the busiest stage in the planning of the cathedral, which is thought to have been conceived around 1698. Certainly this was a period in which Sampson must have turned his attention to the embellishment of his new church with splendid ritual implements. Also, although Astrakhan had a number of churches, none was as large or rich as the cathedral, nor were there any others dedicated to the 'pure Virgin Mother of God'. ( Alla Theodora Hall, in: T. Schroder, 1988, p. 569) Provenance: According to inscription donated by Sampson, Metropolitan of Astrakhan and Tersk, probably to the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Astrakhan; George R. Hann; Sale, Christie's, New York, lot 136, April 17-18, 1980. |
| Historical context | The inscription on the foot of the chalice identifies Sampson, Metropolitan of Astrakhan and Tersk, as donor of the chalice. He occupied this post from 1697 until 1714. |
| Production | Attribution by T. Schroder based upon stylistic comparison with cups with documentated origin from the Kremlin workshops. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | Bible |
| Summary | Chalices like this were used to hold the consecrated sacramental wine during the Orthodox Eucharist. This ceremony is central to all denominations of Christian faith. It is held to commemorate the Last Supper, the meal taken by Christ and his disciples on the day before the crucifixion. It is described as a simple meal during which Christ bestowed symbolic significance on the bread and wine. The ritual taking of bread and wine is therefore central to Christian faith. In the Orthodox Church every communicant receives wine and bread offered in relatively large chalices such as this one. The decoration of the chalice follows the Orthodox tradition and includes quotes from the Gospels and pictures relating to the Passion of Christ. In addition to its complex religious symbolic and importance as liturgical silver, the chalice is also a fine example of Russian goldsmithing of the early 17th century. This chalice is on loan to the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.93-2008 |
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| Record created | June 18, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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