The Lamentation
Plaque
ca. 1530 (made)
ca. 1530 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Plaque, oval with slightly bent back, raised from sheet metal and finely chased with a depiction of The Lamentation, the plaque from the 2nd of 5 series from a Custodia.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Lamentation (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, parcel-gilt |
| Brief description | Spain, Leon. About 1530. The Lamantation; Church plate, Continental |
| Physical description | Plaque, oval with slightly bent back, raised from sheet metal and finely chased with a depiction of The Lamentation, the plaque from the 2nd of 5 series from a Custodia. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Unmarked |
| Gallery label | Silver Gallery:
When these plaques were bequeathed to the V&A in 1956, they were attached to an ebonised wooden casket decorated in the Renaissance taste. This casket was probably made in the 19th century by an ingenious dealer to attract a rich collector. The style and shape of the plaques, depicting scenes from the life of Christ, is similar to those found on custodias (used to display communion wafers) and on processional crosses. The high quality of the work suggests a skilled Spanish silversmith, perhaps influenced by designs from Germany.(26/11/2002) |
| Credit line | Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest |
| Object history | Acquisition RF: 55/4478A Dr WL Hildburgh FSA Bequest (From a set of 23 plaques from a Custodia and a processional cross. ) From The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665, Charles Oman, HMSO, 1968, pp 11-13: The paques were acquired by Dr Hildburgh after the dispersal of the Ole Olsen Collection (Copenhagen, 4-8 March 1953, Lot 293). They were mounted upon an ebonised casket, plaques 1-12 being fitted into niches round the sides, the remainder decorating the lid. The casket was further adorned with pierced silver strips and plaques in the Renaissance style and was supported on 4 feet in the form of double-bodoed lions holding sceptres.’ The casket was found to be modern when examined on acquisition by the Museum. ‘... The composition of plaques 1-20 was not quite the same as that of 21-23 but all were of old silver... it was concluded that they were probably made in about 1530 by an artist working under the German influence in Spain. The possibility that they were German was discarded since nothing similar appears to be known in that country ... The nearest parallels were found to be the plaques decorating the hexagonal base of the Custodia by Enrique de Arfe at Cordova Cathedral. The plaques 21-23 (fourth and fifth series) depicting the Virgin and St. John and the Descent into Hell, which all have flat backs, appear more appropriate for a processional cross. In this connection it is worth noting that Cordova Cathedral owns a processional cross by Enrique de Arfe as well as a Custodia. ... The conclusions are that the plaques are part of a Custodia and of a processional cross and because of the incompleteness of their iconographical schemes, there must have been more of them and that they probably derive from the same Spanish treasury and were mounted up by an ingenious dealer for a rich client in the second half of the last [19th] century.’ |
| Bibliographic reference | The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665, Charles Oman, HMSO, 1968 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.510:15-1956 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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