Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Rare 17th Century South American Colonial Shrine

$1,900
£1,446.81
€1,665.96
CA$2,692.47
A$2,896.13
CHF 1,547.78
MX$34,137.16
NOK 19,513.85
SEK 17,839.37
DKK 12,447.56

About the Item

Rare 17th Century South American Colonial Shrine Straight box with pediment cut into stylized volutes. Made of polished cedar, with wrought iron fittings, this oratory reflects the austerity of Brazil in the 17th century. Dimensions in centimeters: 54cm W x 30cm D x 75cm H. The domestic shrines have been present in the brazilian homes since the 17th century. When the cities all over the country started to grow, from small setlements around a chapel, to a more important commercial center for the sugar plantations, the shrines were always an important, almost vital necessity, in each individual dwelling in that town. They were adaptations made to its primitive form as a small reduced chapel, as a shelter and hiding place for saints, as a mobile altar traveling along difficult and deserted roads and paths. Mostly anonymous, in very rare cases, one can find their authorial identification. Artists and artisans of all kinds, Portuguese and the Afro-Brazilian craftsmen, left the mark of a typically tropicalized creativity, where the baroque aesthetics was adapted to the popular cultures of the time. One can find them in small dimensions in simple earthen homes or more sophisticated and larger examples in the stately solares of the wealthy land owners. The bigger ones always waiting for a priest, who would celebrate masses in front of it. In different moments of distress or gratitude, the shrine would be the ideal space for personal contact, with a strong affective character and greater intimacy with Catholic symbolism. The saints guarded or enthroned in their niches were thus at hand to protect, hear secrets and testify to the faith of men, women and children
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Width: 21.2 in (53.85 cm)Depth: 11.81 in (30 cm)
  • Style:
    Baroque (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    Late 17th Century
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1680
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
  • Seller Location:
    Rio De Janeiro, BR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU9400237030362

More From This Seller

View All
Rare 17th Century South American Shrine
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
Rare 17th Century Cedar Shrine. Straight box with padded doors. Interior with decorative arch in the shape of a portal. Dimensions in centimeters: 52cm W x 26,50 cm D x 71 cm H. Th...
Category

Antique Late 17th Century Brazilian Baroque Religious Items

Materials

Cedar

19th Century South America "Slave" shrine
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
Solid wood, with original patina from the time. Made by slaves, during the dark slavery times, to worship and pray. Dimensions: 18,70 inches W x 33,26 inches H x 10,62 inches D. ...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Brazilian Folk Art Religious Items

Materials

Cedar

Gorgeous 18th Century Baroque South American Floral Shrine
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
Lovely 18th Century shrine in polychrome cedar. Rectangular box, topped by a cut pediment carved with flowers, flanked by a pair of tips – like simplified obelisks. Sides and pair of...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Brazilian Baroque Religious Items

Materials

Cedar

Early 19th Century Brazilian Painted Shrine Minas Gerais
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
Early 19th Century Brazilian Painted Shrine, Minas Gerais A rare and poetic survivor of the Brazilian colonial interior tradition, this early 19th-century painted shrine from Minas G...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Brazilian Other Religious Items

Materials

Cedar

Magnificent 19th Century Coffe Plantation Shrine
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
This exquisite mid-19th-century Brazilian shrine, originating from the opulent coffee plantation era, is a masterpiece of both artistry and functionality. Crafted from fine Brazilian...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Brazilian Victorian Vitrines

Materials

Glass, Wood

Late 18th Century Spanish Colonial Bargueño
Located in Rio De Janeiro, BR
This late 18th-century Peruvian bargueño is an outstanding example of Spanish Colonial craftsmanship, featuring vibrant hand-painted decoration and intricate hardware. The front pane...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Peruvian Baroque Cabinets

Materials

Wrought Iron

You May Also Like

18th Century Portuguese Altar
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A fantastic oratory or tabletop altar from 18th century Portugal, made of carved, painted, and gilded wood taking the form of a small cabinet (where religious statuary would be displ...
Category

Antique 18th Century Portuguese Baroque Religious Items

Materials

Gold

18th Century Indo Portuguese Altar
Located in Topanga, CA
A stunning 18th Century Indo-Portuguese altar from Goa. This is in wonderful condition with its original surface and paintings.
Category

Antique 18th Century Indian Other Religious Items

Materials

Wood, Paint

18th Century Portuguese Altar
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An exquisite work of 18th century Portuguese craftsmanship, this carved, painted, and gilded wood tabletop altar-niche would have been used to stage religious artifacts or statuary f...
Category

Antique 18th Century Portuguese Baroque Religious Items

Materials

Gold

PORTUGUESE ORATORY 18th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
PORTUGUESE ORATORY 18th Century in mahogany wood with gilding. Glass doors. Interior with apricot. Dim.: 155 x 120 x 47 cm. good conditions
Category

Antique 18th Century Portuguese Baroque Vitrines

Materials

Wood

Spanish 17th Century Rustic Armoire
Located in Round Top, TX
A very handsome 17th century folk armoire from the Catalan region of Spain. Soundly constructed from thick planks of chestnut. Stunning patina. A fabulous storage piece lending charm...
Category

Antique 17th Century Spanish Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Chestnut

19th Century Indo - Portuguese Rosewood Altar
Located in Topanga, CA
This 19th-century Indo-Portuguese altar was masterfully crafted from rich rosewood and crowned with a beautifully carved cross at the pinnacle. This exceptional piece exemplifies the...
Category

Antique 19th Century Indian Other Religious Items

Materials

Rosewood