16th Century Religious Items

Pair of reliefs; scene with carriage with skull and scene with portico from the 16th century. Gilded and polychrome wood. Castilian school, 16th centur...

With hallmarks. It is necessary to indicate the survival in this piece of some details from the Spanish Gothic silverware (cresting, which appears around the XV century; the endings ...

Portapaz. Silver in its color and gilded. Century XVI. Portapaz made of silver that has a handle (decorated with delicate plant motifs similar to those of the pilasters) and a female and a male bust at the bottom, as well as other architectural elements on the back, and, on the front, an architectural composition classicist basement (with busts flanking a flower and a cross), two pilasters (vegetal decoration and capital recalling the composite order) with entablature (flowers flanking an angel's head; moldings), and a semicircular arch finish with elements veined in relief under cross and flanked by two architectural motifs in the upper part. This composition frames and enhances a gilt silver relief where you can see the Lament or Cry over the Body of Christ, with the Virgin holding the head of Jesus, Saint John at her side, the Magdalene and other characters, a cross following the group and a landscape background with houses and plant elements. This architectural structure mentioned is similar to the one present in other 16th century portapaces, such as that of the Magdalena de Dos Hermanas parish (Hernando de Ballesteros el Mozo, around 1575); or that of the Galaroza parish (same author and date); or that of the portapaz of San Miguel de Jerez de los Caballeros (in some details); etc. As for the relief, it is possible to clearly see a strong Italian influence, and the similarity between it and important pieces such as the Portapaz known as “de Cisneros by Juan de Burgos (1493-1497; MuseoCatedralicio de Alcalá de Henares), as well as in paintings and reliefs. Also noteworthy are both the male and female busts in the lower area and the Maltese cross (or Saint John's) that appears in this area. This symbol was used since the 12th century as an insignia by the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, also known as the Order of Malta...

On one side of the pendant, Christ appears tied to a tall column in the center of the composition, being whipped by two sayones or soldiers with branches, following a customary compo...

Paper holder bronze. 16th century. Portapaz made of bronze with a flat handle in "that" on the back that presents a decoration in light relief framed in an architectural composition of classic taste. Under the columns of the sides two heraldic shields are presented; the center shows a Birth of Christ under a winged dome with heads of winged angels in the corners; flanked by two birds, at the top and under a semicircular arch, is the bust of Saint Dominic...

LUIS DE MORALES (Spain, 1512-1586). The Virgin with a book, the Sleeping Child and Saint John. Oil on panel. Altarpiece with relics may be related to The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Published: Mateo Gómez, Isabel. Revista de Estudios Extremeños, 2018, Tomo LXXIV, Nº. II, pp. 1115-1128. Table with the Virgin of a little more than half body, sitting on a bench and leaning on a table, reading with the sleeping child on her lap; on the right, a Saint John appears from behind the bench and puts a finger to his mouth asking for silence so as not to disturb Jesus' sleep. The oil is framed by a reliquary altar in ebony wood: flanked by two fluted columns with Corinthian capital and based, located on a base with the relics (read their signs from left to right, they host those of San Silvestre, San Felipe Apóstol, San Felipe Neri, San Antonio Abad, Santa María Magdalena, Santo Sepulcro de Nuestro Señor and Santa Clara) on canvas and framed by ovals with silver rings; the upper end is decorated, in the frieze and top of the tympanum, with silver ovals with colored agates, and topped by pinnacles with bronze balls. Isabel Mateo has analyzed both elements: the table was painted by Luis de Morales, nicknamed "the Divine" (Badajoz, h. 1510-1586), and places it in the last stage of the painter, created for private devotion. In his analysis he highlights the similarities with other works of the painter: "Virgin with the Child and the Holy Juanes" of the parish church of Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres) dated between 1550-1560; the “Virgins with hats” from the Abelló Collection and the Prado Museum in Madrid; etc. Furthermore, he refers to the flamenco iconographic influences and Rafael's models in Morales' work, among others. As for the reliquary, added later to the completion of the painting, it relates it to El Escorial and Felipe II...

A wonderful Gothic period hand carved stone statue of Saint Nicholas from the Avignon area of France. The now headless Saint Nicholas holds his staff an...

A large and unusual Himalayan bronze and mixed metal nine prong vajra featuring wrathful faces. In the style of the Tangut (Western Xia) Kingdom (1038 to 1227), but probably later, most likely 15th-16th century. The body of the vajra crafted from a copper alloy, with five wrathful faces on either side and gold and silver inlays to the center. The prongs crafted of iron, with each side having eight prongs arcing outwards around a central prong before coming back to a copper alloy point. The vajra is meditational tool...

Paper holder bronze, 16th century. Portapaz made of bronze with an "asymmetric" handle on the back, which presents a decoration in light relief framed in an architectural compositio...

A wonderful early 16th century hand carved stoned fragment of an angel. Beautifully crafted from Tuffeau stone from the Chambord area of France - now on its iron stand. A wonderful a...

16th century German hand carved painted wood St. Sebastian.

Paper holder bronze, 16th century. Bronze paper holder with a flat curved handle on the back that features a relief decoration organized in the front through an architectural composition with a classical influence usual in the Renaissance. Under the columns on the sides there are two heraldic shields (without bonnet, laces with tassels on three levels) with a Latin cross in the middle zone; the center shows a birth of Christ under a winged dome with heads of winged angels in the corners; at the top and under a semi-circular arch, the bust of Saint Dominic...

An exceptional, fine and impressive, rare antique Elizabethan English sterling silver communion chalice and paten; an addition to our diverse religious silverware collection. This exceptional two piece antique Elizabethan sterling silver communion set consists of a chalice and paten/diskos. The chalice has a cylindrical tapering shaped form onto a plain knapped pedestal and spreading circular foot. The body of this sterling silver communion cup...

Crismera Silver in its color. 16th century. Cover not original. Silver chrome in color with a circular foot decorated with an engraved composition of vegetable elements and a flat circular body with two "ese" handles with vegetal motifs and a small neck at the top covered with a lid topped by a ring (which it is not the original of the piece). The body has engraved, on the one hand, a cross on a pedestal with a shroud hung from it, all within an engraved frame; On the other hand, with a frame similar to that mentioned, appear the letters "ihs" (cristogram of ancient origin, already used in the Early Christian, which gave rise to varied etymologies and was adopted as a seal by San Ignacio...

Alms collection dish made of gilded brass decorated with a series of moldings and details both on the edge and towards the center. In this area there is a figurative motif in light r...

Exceptional pair of aigles of the 16th century of Italy Superbe pair of wooden sculpted aigles from the Italian Renaissance. Very Fine and delicate sculpture The pair of eagles se...

This sculpture represents Santa Ana (Saint Anne) with the infant Mary. Verge.    

The bearded male figure appears with the angel, showing the wound or plague on his leg, with the hat and the pilgrim's cloak and the dog with the loaf of bread placed under one of his feet in a quite unusual way. All these attributes help to identify the image: Saint Roch (San Roque...

This type of elements are basic in churches, chapels, etc. since they contain the Sacred Forms, reason why it is logical the abundance, with a series of typologies more habitual and traditional or old than others. There are also iconographies more common than others, a certain thematic preference according to the date or school to which the work belongs, etc., always related to the Sacrifice of Christ, Salvation, Transubstantiation, Eucharist, etc. for being a key element for Christianity (especially the Catholic) what they will always contain. The present work shows a chalice with Sacred Form in what would originally be the interior of the door (very usual iconography) and a somewhat more striking relief to the exterior. Inside that it is a Eucharistic Christ or Eucharistic Savior, the way of presenting it is more usual of the scenes of the Last Supper, being not so frequent to find it alone like this. Compare for example with works such as the door of the tabernacle attributed to Alonso Cano...

Thanks to the positions of the characters and the elements they have in their hands, it can be said that one of the panels shows the Flagellation and the other would be The Mocking o...

Bronze in its color and gold, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, enamel. In the centre of the work is presented, enthroned, the figure of Mary, with a mantel (fireplace) on her shoulders and hair and holding on her knees the child, who appears addressing one of the angels. The virgin is also sheltered by an ogee arch supported on turned columns, and raised visually by steps. This composition achieves a very striking contrast: the dark bronze figure, in contrast to the lapis lazuli background and the part of the arch and the outside of it, in gilded bronze. Under the steps there is a heraldic enamel shield with a key on an azure background. The angels, kneeling, are flanking this figure, and, appearing in dark bronze, visually share the "category" of religious figures with Mary, while their (lower) position gives more status to both the Mother and Jesus. The rest of the composition is completed with a delicate landscape: constructions and walls on mountains, clouds in the sky, plants, stones, etc. To the outside, another lapis lazuli frame is placed decorated in the corners with appliques, giving way to carved and polychrome wood. The lapis lazuli is a semiprecious stone already known in the seventh millennium BC., found in deposits from the Caucasus to Mauritania. From the end of the middle ages, it increased its export to Europe, its use being more frequent since then both to use it as a pigment in paintings after grinding it (giving rise to the finest and most expensive of the blues, and of the colors in many occasions), as for backgrounds of paintings, incrustations in works of art, jewelry and, a little later, in the well-known "hard stone works". The figure of Mary still shows an influence of Gothic models, although more European than Italian, along with elements that could already show a closeness to the Renaissance: although the nakedness of Jesus is already shown in Gothic works (Madonna with Angels by Fra Angelico ), the creation of space by playing with the cloth in front of Christ can be appreciated in more advanced paintings (Virgin with Child by Domenico Ghirlandaio, National Gallery of London); the presence of a powerful throne can be seen frequently in Italian Madonnas of the Quattrocento (and before), but not quite as presented here. As for the landscape, it is necessary to compare it, for example, with that of the fresco of the Condotiero Guidoriccio de Fogliano (Simone Martini, finished in 1328). This is a work of great technical and aesthetic quality, not to mention the materials chosen for its creation, comparable only to outstanding examples from around the world, such as those preserved in the Palazzo Madama in Torino (Italy), where the coral It also has an important role. It is essential to mention, also, works such as the plate of hard stones (lapis lazuli between them) with a relief of Mary with the Child in...

Typologically, it is a partial architectural grating with an ornamental and defensive purpose at the same time. Likewise, it clearly shows some of the striking decorative and typolog...

Saint Luke is often represented as a man of mature and bearded age, accompanied by the animal of the Tetramorphs with which he is related (Revelation 4: 67)...

Hand Carved Santos in original condition. Beautiful old Patina.

San Miguel Arcángel in carved wood, polychrome, stewed and gold, castilla ff SX.

This sculpture represents Santa Ana (Saint Anne) with the infant Mary. Verge

Hand carved Santos in original condition. Beautiful old patina.

Ball shaped, separating into two halves, the central detachable band chased with a crown flanked by Hebrew blessing of spices on a zig-zag ground, between applied ropework bands, on ...