Silver-gilt, Bolivia, ca.1700-30

Chalice consisting of a raised bowl sitting in a pierced cage or calyx of stylised figures with upraised arms, a slim cylindrical stem punctuated with flat circular discs and a pierced knop of cherub heads, and a domed circular foot decorated with a pierced ornamental cage. The bowl, stem, and foot are silver-gilt. The decorative pierced elements are white silver.

Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest

The Spanish Church
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.

Made in Alto Peru, now known as Bolivia

The chalice is one of the most important vessels of the Catholic church. It contains the wine consecrated by the priest during the service of Mass. In Catholic belief the wine miraculously transforms into the blood of Christ during this service, so chalices were usually made from precious metals, to reflect the precious status of their contents.

This chalice was made for Catholic worship in South America. The construction of the chalice, with a slim cylindrical stem punctuated by flat discs, is typical of goldsmiths working in Alto Peru (now Bolivia). Spain established colonies in South and Central America from the early 1500s and Catholicism was introduced with missionary zeal.

M.339-1956