Wonderful Antique Solid-Silver Chalice. Museum Piece. France, 19th Century

Wonderful solid-silver chalice, a great museum piece made in France in the 19th century and with hallmarks in all its parts. The chalice is totally embellished with scenes of hand-engraved the life of Jesus, with an impressive attention to detail and a perfection that reveals the hand of a great artist. The hallmarks that can be found at the foot and the cup give information about the place of making (France) and the silver quality. The chalice remains in an exceptional condition; its big size provides it with an outstanding presence and a great decorative quality. The foot is circular in shape and is decorated with three embossed and engraved images depicting scenes of the life of Jesus. One of them shows Jesus Christ with three disciples at the shore of the Sea of Galilea, before the Miraculous Catch of Fish or maybe the moment Jesus called them to follow him. The second scene depicts the Savior with a Samarian woman who gives Him water from a well. And the third one shows the Crucifixion with Virgin Mary, Her sister and Mary Magdalene at the Cross foot. The scenes boast an undeniable quality, with a perfect formal balance and an uncommon beauty. Between them there are embossed high-relief bunches of grape in the vine. The stem has a main node with the faces of the members of the Sacred Family: a front portrait of Saint Joseph and the profiles of Mary and Jesus. The images are separated by engraved reeds, a plant which symbolizes the People of God, ears of wheat and bunches of grapes. The chalices cup bears no decoration and is made of gold-plated silver. Just like the foot, it has the French silvers hallmark and the silversmiths mark. It shows a fine handmade openwork decoration composed of three scenes. They show three moments of the life of Jesus, all of them related to Saint John the Baptist. The first one shows Mary visiting Her cousin Isabel, also pregnant. In that moment, the creature in Isabels belly jumps of joy when he realices that Mary is carrying the Son of God in hers. The following scene depicts Child Jesus with His mother, Mary, and child John (dressed as a small shepherd and accompanied by a sheep) with Isabel. And the last one shows Jesus being baptized by Saint John in river Jordan. These images are separated by embossed wheat stalks, symbol of the Eucharistic bread, bunches of grapes and reeds. The chalice comes with a gold-plated paten with hallmarks, decorated with a hand-engraved IHS acronym framed by a crown of thorns. This wonderful solid-silver chalice is a real museum piece for its exceptional decoration and imposing presence. Dimensions: Chalice: Foots Width: 6.3 in / 16 cm. Height: 12.2 in / 31 cm. Cups Width: 3.54 in / 9 cm. Weight: 630 g. Paten: Diameter: 6.3 in / 16 cm. Weight: 105 g. Total Weigth: 735 g.