Pyx Viaticum thumbnail 1
Pyx Viaticum thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 69, The Whiteley Galleries

Pyx Viaticum

1450-1459 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Spain (made)

Round box with loop for suspension. The flat lid is engraved as is the bottom. Both inscriptions are in black-letter.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Christianity
Object type
Pyx viaticum
Materials and techniques
Silver
Brief description
Spain, Middle of 15th century; Church plate, Continental
Physical description
Round box with loop for suspension. The flat lid is engraved as is the bottom. Both inscriptions are in black-letter.
Dimensions
  • Foot diameter: 5.80cm
  • Loop diameter: 0.50cm
  • Height: 1.00cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • The Agnus Dei on the lid is surrounded by the inscription: 'O Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.' The base is engraved with the Vernicle, surrounded by the inscription: 'But Jesus passing through the midst of them went His way.' (Luke, IV, 30).
  • Unmarked.
Gallery label
Silver Gallery: This small pyx contains the host (wafer) for taking to the sick to administer the sacrament. The pendant loop on top indicates it could be hung from the neck. Both the lamb engraved on the front, and the 'true image' of Christ from the vernicle on the back are symbolic of Christ's sacricifial body within the pyx, as are the Latin inscriptions: AGNUS DEI QUI TOLLIS PECCAT MUNDY MISERERE NOBIS (BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKEST AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, HAVE MERCY ON US) and IHESUS AUTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORUM IBAT (BUT JESUS, PASSING THROUGH THE MIDST OF THEM, WENT HIS WAY) from Luke, Chapter 4.(26/11/2002)
Credit line
Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest
Object history
Acquisition RF: 55/4478A
Dr WL Hildburgh FSA Bequest
Production
Maker unidentified
Bibliographic reference
The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665, Charles Oman, Pg.36, pl.50, HMSO, 1968
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.219-1956

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O91759/pyx-viaticum-unknown/
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