Devotional Pendant, Gold, Possibly, 18th Century

Saint Nicholas devotional medal on support. Gilded bronze, textile, metal, 18th century. Golden bronze devotional medal placed on a support by wires that has an oval frame enhanced ...

Medal. Spain, 18th century. Devotional medal made of gilded metal that shows an image of the Virgin Mary, placed on a pedestal and surrounded by a r...

Naveta. Silver. Possibly Portugal, 18th century. Base with counterweight. With hallmarks. Naveta with oval foot decorated with relief elements and moldings, balustrade foot and body with light boat shape, presenting a hinged lid in the front, a widening in the lower area towards the foot and a decoration distributed throughout the exterior base of rockery motifs and plant elements (the same theme is presented on the foot and base) on a background of chopped luster, with an angel's head on two wings in relief towards the peak, accompanied by plant elements (the which protrude from the edge of the lid). Although the shape of the piece follows in general lines the most usual prototypes in these incense containers used in the liturgy, it is necessary to indicate that it was more frequent to find them more similar to a ship. The naveta's belonging to the influence of Rococo is clear both for the lines of the object and for the decoration to which reference has already been made (pebbles, plant elements with movement, volutes with pronounced curves, contrasts between concave and convex lines ... ), as well as it is possible to find some points in common with Portuguese works (presents an auction with an angel head in relief a silver naveta with a spoon by Leandro Gagliardi made in Rome between 1744 and 1750 that is preserved in the Museum of Sao Roque of Lisbon in Portugal, compare with the silver plated censer that the same master made between 1749 and 1751 for the Chapel of San Juan Bautista of the Church of San Roque in Lisbon). The contrast marks present in the upper part of the naveta (the "capitalized" letters in a rectangular space), although it should also be noted that this work does not follow the most striking typology of navetas related to this center (naveta de 18th century silver from the Church of Alcántara de Maranhao, Brazil; naveta by Sebastiao Bernardes dos Santos, dated 1747 from Sé do Funchal, which is kept in the Museu de Arte Sacra Do Funchal in Madeira Portugal...

Devotional pendant or reliquary. Oil painting on aventurine, enamel, gold. Spain, 17th century. Medallion or devotional pendant or reliquary made of aventurine or aventurine with an octagonal shape and faceted fronts, enhanced with a series of enamels combining black and gold, which protect two oil paintings with a Catholic Christian religious theme, located one on each side of the piece. Protected, you can see a very particular Virgin with Child for being inspired by the Icon of the Madonna del Popolo (Rome, Italy), and a simplified Martyrdom of San Lorenzo (the saint, the grill and an angel with a crown and the palm corresponding to the subject). The edges of the piece have been protected with simple metal elements. The painting of San Lorenzo follows a common composition in the Spanish school, and would recall works such as the painting of the main altar of the Church of San Lorenzo de Huesca, for example, but also others such as the engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (executed around 1527) in some details. The so-called icon of the Madonna del Popolo was well known for being considered as made by Saint Luke, and was brought to the church of the same denomination by Gregory IX from the Sancta Sanctorum of the Lateran Palace after a flood caused a terrible plague in the city and through a solemn procession with the image of Santa Maria del Popolo. Regarding the material of the piece, a certain type of glass and a type of quartz (which can be green or reddish-brown, and usually has tiny elements of yellow mica that give it golden reflections) is known as aventurine or aventurine. In the first case, it is known that “aventurine” or “stellaria” appears mentioned in the Murano workshops for the first time during the first quarter of the 17th century, in reference to a very complicated production paste (it is said that the name comes from of this circumstance, that is, that its creation was due to luck or luck) that imitates the effects of that stone (from India and Russia at that time) thanks to the inclusion of copper particles, and that it was used as if out of stone (cut) given the complexity of its use in blowing (practically impossible). And, dealing with this material, it is necessary to mention “The Nativity” by Pietro da Cortona, dated around 1656, which is kept in the El Prado...