The Catholic church dominated public and private life in Spain. Money and labour were lavished on religious art and images played a central role in daily worship. To ensure that goldsmiths focused on work for the crown and the church, the authorities brought in a series of sumptuary laws that limited the secular display of gems and precious metals.
By 1550 the silver mines in Peru and Mexico were generating enormous wealth for Spain and feeding the traditional taste for massive silver forms. They included the custodia, a towering architectural canopy that was unique to Spain. It was paraded through parishes during the Corpus Christi festival to display the Sacred Host (consecrated bread). The custodia embodied many characteristics of Spanish church plate. It was sculptural, highly visible and richly imaginative in design.
With the Counter Reformation, Spain became a triumphant defender of a revitalised Catholic faith. Silver altar vessels and entire altars, processional crosses, custodias and sanctuary lamps frequently appeared in goldsmiths’ contracts.
This impressive fragment of Spanish goldsmiths' work was perhaps the base of a church vessel, such as a monstrance or chalice. Silver objects of this date were often constructed from separate sections fitted around a central shaft.
The knop, the protruding section of the stem designed to help the priest hold the vessel securely, is decorated with capital letters in Lombardic script which translate 'We adore Thee and bless Thee O Christ'.