Chalice

The sculptural appearance of this chalice’s highly arched sexfoil base is enhanced by the alteration of areas that are gilt and that are left ungilt. The majority of the embossed ornaments that barely rise above the gilt background have been left without gilding (with the exception of a portion of the interior fields decorated with chasing). A chased scale-patterned band runs around the base above the foot. Cartouches made of scrolled ribbons containing shields on a chased background and simpler oval ribbon frames with volutes at the top alternate with one another in the sections of the arched area of the base. The Instruments of the Passion of Christ appear in the three areas with chased backgrounds, and include the lance and the sponge with vinegar set on a reed, the pincers and the hammer, and a heart pierced by three nails as a symbol of redeeming love. Silver decorations of leaves and vines were placed between the separate fields, which form another ornamental band alternating with rosettes at the meeting with the stem-like section of the upper base. Braided ribbon elements encompassing chased surfaces run up this section. The vase-shaped node has three bulging sides with ungilt oval motifs that are surrounded by floral leaf decorations. The motifs of the base appear again in the openwork silver calix, with shields suspended in scrolled ribbon frames alternating with oval medallions set amongst its floral decorations. On one of these is a tablet with the inscription “INRI”, referring to the Passion, while there is a cross in the second and a chalice symbolizing the Eucharist on the third.

There is an authentication mark of Augsburg from between 1712 and 1715 on the edge of the base (Seling 173, 174, 175; Seling 2007, 46: N. 1390), as well as the master’s mark of Dominicus Saler (“DS” in an oval frame; see: Rosenberg 788; Seling 1911).

by Anna Ecsedy