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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 69, The Whiteley Galleries

chalice

Chalice
1480-1499 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A chalice is the central sacred vessel of the Catholic church in which the priest consecrates wine during the service of Mass. This chalice would have been originally accompanied by a paten (dish) for the consecrated bread. According to Catholic belief the wine and bread are miraculously transformed into the blood and body of Christ during the Mass. The bowls of silver chalices are usually gilded inside, to emphasize the precious nature of their contents and to protect the metal.

On this chalice, the elaborate tracery, acanthus leaves, thistles and intricate foliage mirror the exuberant stonework of medieval churches. The arms on the foot are of Gonzalo Davila, Steward to the Catholic Kings and Master of Calatrava and of his second wife, Maria de Saavedra.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titlechalice (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt, embossed
Brief description
Spain (Avila), 1480-1500, mark 'O/A' for assay master Alonso Hidalgo "the Elder"(goldsmith to Avila cathedral until 1527; town assay master in 1500).
Physical description
The foot set with shields formerly enamelled, bearing the arms of Gonzalo Davila, of Avila, and his second wife, Maria de Saavedra. Calyx embossed with thistle leaves, stem and knot formed of two tiers of canopied niches. Foot with serrated outline.
Dimensions
  • Foot to rim of bowl height: 24cm
  • Across bowl diameter: 10cm
  • Across underside of foot diameter: 18.2cm
  • Weight: 1031g
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • Shields on foot bearing the arms of Gonzalo Davila, of Avila, and his second wife, Maria de Saavedra.
  • On upper side of base: Assayer's mark: O over A in a lozenge, town mark a castle for Avila, Maker's mark: PEDRO (Fernandez p126)
Gallery label
  • CHALICE Silver-gilt Avila, Spain, late 15th century Maker's mark ALONSO unidentified The elaborate Gothic tracery, acanthus leaves, thistles and intricate Gothic style foliage mirrors the exuberant stonework of medieval churches. The arms on the foot are of Gonzolo Davila, steward of the Catholic Kings and Master of Calatrava and of his second wife, Maria de Saavedra. 143-1882
  • CHALICE Spanish (Avila); about 1490-1500 The foot is set with shields formerly enamelled, bearing the arms of Gonzalo Davila of Avila, and his second wife, Maria de Saavedra.
Object history
The arms are: (a) on a pile between six hurts a lion rampant crowned, for Gonzalo Davila, Steward to the Catholic Kings, Master of Calatrava, (b) three bars checky, for Maria de Saavedra, of the family of Castellar. Lopez de Haro states that the banner taken by Gonzalez Davila was taken in the church of the Franciscans at Avila.
Summary
A chalice is the central sacred vessel of the Catholic church in which the priest consecrates wine during the service of Mass. This chalice would have been originally accompanied by a paten (dish) for the consecrated bread. According to Catholic belief the wine and bread are miraculously transformed into the blood and body of Christ during the Mass. The bowls of silver chalices are usually gilded inside, to emphasize the precious nature of their contents and to protect the metal.

On this chalice, the elaborate tracery, acanthus leaves, thistles and intricate foliage mirror the exuberant stonework of medieval churches. The arms on the foot are of Gonzalo Davila, Steward to the Catholic Kings and Master of Calatrava and of his second wife, Maria de Saavedra.
Bibliographic reference
The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665, Charles Oman, Pg. 26, pl. 37, HMSO, 1968
Collection
Accession number
143-1882

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
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