Silver, Germany, ca.1570-1600

Rectangular silver plaque hammered into relief with the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven holding the infant Christ, surrounded by winged cherubs.

Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh

The Counter Reformation
The 16th century was a period of intense self examination for the Roman Catholic church. Internal dissent was undermining its authority and whole nations were going over to the new Protestant faiths. To clarify its role, the church held the Council of Trent from 1545 to 1563. It addressed concerns about religious education, abuses of wealth and the relief of the poor. The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) became the champion of the reformed Catholic church and promoted the faith worldwide. At the heart of this Counter Reformation was the need to restore the Eucharist to the centre of worship. In Catholic belief, the Eucharist enshrines the moment when bread and wine, consecrated at the altar, are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. A priest holding up a monstrance Detail from The Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, by Claudio Coello, 1685-90 Monasterio del Escorial, Madrid.

Art and Faith
The image and message of the reinvigorated Roman Catholic church were actively promoted through dramatic architecture and furnishings. Throughout the 17th century new churches were built in the grand Baroque style. Their sumptuous interiors were complemented by elaborate monstrances, candelabra, sanctuary lamps and censers. Awe-inspiring altar silver drew the eyes of the faithful towards the Eucharist.

This delicately chased plaque may have been a decorative mount for an altarpiece. The scene it depicts is based on St. John's vision of the Virgin Mary described in the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament in the Bible. It reads: 'And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown ...'. Veneration of the Virgin enjoyed a great revival after the Counter Reformation, a period of intense reform for the Catholic Church from the 1540s.

The goldsmith has chased (hammered) the design in low relief using steel chasing tools and a hammer. The silver is supported on a firm but flexible base, such as a pitch-block or sandbag. Using expert blows of the hammer, the goldsmith guides the tools over the surface of the silver to push it into the required shape without any loss of metal.

M.63-1955