Baroque Monstrance In Gilt Bronze And Enamels — Spain, Circa 1680–1700

Baroque gilt bronze and enamel monstrance — Spain, circa 1680–1700.

A beautiful sunburst monstrance in cast, turned, chased, and gilt bronze, characteristic of Spanish religious production from the late 17th century, during the transition to the late Baroque.

Description:

The circular medallion is surrounded by twenty-four rays alternating between straight and wavy forms, a typical composition for Hispanic monstrances of this period.
The crown supporting the lunette is decorated with white and blue enamel cabochons, set in a chased gilt design, also repeated on the knop and the shaft.
These opaque enamels, known as "porcelain enamels," appeared in the last decades of the 17th century and constitute a defining stylistic element here.
The architecturally structured shaft features a series of classical moldings: a cylindrical center, an ovoid knop, a ringed neck, and a double-registered circular base, the upper part of which is hemispherical and decorated with matching cabochons.

The piece illustrates a formal vocabulary still very much of the 17th century, with elements foreshadowing the late Baroque.
There are no hallmarks—a common occurrence for gilt bronze objects intended for religious use—but the style and technique are consistent with late 17th-century Spanish workshops.

Dimensions: Height: 47 cm x Sun diameter: 22.2 cm x Base diameter: 15.6 cm - Weight: 1.83 kg.

Condition:

Good overall condition with normal wear to the gilding due to its long history of liturgical use.
Note: one ray is missing and the cross at the top is broken, but this does not affect the stability or the aesthetic appeal of the piece.

This piece is representative of the Spanish cabochon pyx, a type ubiquitous in 17th-century religious metalwork, but more rarely found in gilt bronze with enamels.

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