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CHALICE

Creator(s): Unknown (Silversmith)

On view in: Russian Sacred Arts Gallery


About this object

The cup is in silver with gilding for the inscription and four medallions gilded. Three medallions with lightly engraved images of the Deisis - Christ, the Mother of God, St. John the Baptist - are arranged across the bowl's front and are identified by inscriptions. Christ also has "W O H" (Life) in his halo and an inscription in the open book held in his hand. On the other side of the bowl is a round medallion, gilded and engraved, with the Cross of Golgotha. These decorative elements overlap the Old Slavonic text arround the lip of the chalice. The central portion has a knop for ease in grasping which is gilt and engraved with a rinceau. There are four strips that run the length of the central portion, also gilt and with similar rinceau. The base is decorated with a scale pattern and ovoid cartouches, all gilded, engraved with floral motifs and each surmounted with a fleur-de-lis. Around the base runs a long gilded inscription. On the bottom of the rim is scratched in Cyrillic vorota, literally meaning "gate."

Object name:
CHALICE
Made from:
Silver -- parcel gilt
Made in:
Russia
Date made:
1666
Size:
22.5 × 14 × 12.5 cm (8 7/8 × 5 1/2 × 4 15/16 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
12.82
Class:
SILVER
Signature marks:
INSCRIPTIONS "Drink from this, everyone; this is my blood of the New Testament, which for you and many others was poured out in remission of sins" [Trans. ] [Engraved near edge in Old Church Slavonic] "In the year 7174 [old style for 1666] on the 2nd of November the holy father Seth, Archbishop of Astrakhan had this cup made for the Church of Saint Nicholas, November 6, 1666" [Trans.] [Engraved underneath edge of foot] "Vorota" [Trans. Gate] [On the bottom of the rim]
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973