Monstrance thumbnail 1
Monstrance thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 62, The Foyle Foundation Gallery

Monstrance

ca. 1580 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Cuenca (City) (made)

This monstrance with candelabra-type shaft shows how Spain adopted elements of the Classical style of Renaissance Italy. The kneeling angels supporting the receptacle for displaying the wafer, symbolic of the body of Christ, and the architectural niches adorned with scallops and caryatid figures are characteristic features, as are the cherub heads, lion's feet and swags of fruit and drapery. Classical influences spread as artists from major centres in Italy worked in Spain. By the 16th century Spain also dominated Southern and Northern Italy absorbing local styles.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Ceremonial Objects
Christianity
Religion
Object type
Monstrance
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt
Brief description
Silver-gilt, Spain, Cuenca, ca.1580
Physical description
Monstrance framed with cast openwork strapwork supported on bulging columns hung with swags of fruit. With four figures round its capital.
Dimensions
  • Height: 55cm
  • Width: 21.1cm
  • Depth: 15.7cm
  • Weight: 3.60kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Gallery label
  • Silver Gallery: This monstrance with candelabra-type shaft shows how Spain adopted elements of the Classical style of Renaissance Italy. Classical influences spread as artists from major centres in Italy worked in Spain. By the 16th century Spain also dominated Southern and Northern Italy absorbing local styles. In this monstrance, the kneeling angels, the architectural niches adorned with scallops and caryatid figures, as well as the cherub heads, lion feet and swags of fruit and drapery are characteristic of these borrowed elements. The receptacle which the angels support originally displayed the consecrated bread wafer or Host (a symbol of Christ's body which, in Catholic belief, becomes His body as well during the service of Mass). The monstrance is similar to the work of the highly important 16th century Becceril family of silversmiths in Cuenca. They made the city one of the most important silver-working centres in Spain.(26/11/2002)
  • MONSTRANCE Silver-gilt In the style of Cristóbal Becerril Spanish (Cuenca); last quarter of the 16th century The silver statuettes about 1850 Given by the Norwich Museums Committee
Credit line
Given by the Castle Museum, Norwich
Summary
This monstrance with candelabra-type shaft shows how Spain adopted elements of the Classical style of Renaissance Italy. The kneeling angels supporting the receptacle for displaying the wafer, symbolic of the body of Christ, and the architectural niches adorned with scallops and caryatid figures are characteristic features, as are the cherub heads, lion's feet and swags of fruit and drapery. Classical influences spread as artists from major centres in Italy worked in Spain. By the 16th century Spain also dominated Southern and Northern Italy absorbing local styles.
Bibliographic reference
The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665, Charles Oman, HMSO, 1968, cat. no. 92, Fig. 181
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.342-1962

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O91961/monstrance-unknown/
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