Monumental 19th-Century Italian Silver-Gilt Wood Eucharistic Altar Urns With Wheat and Grapes a Air

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An exceptional and highly decorative pair of 19th-century Italian ecclesiastical altar urns, retaining their original monumental arrangements of wheat, grapes … Read more An exceptional and highly decorative pair of 19th-century Italian ecclesiastical altar urns, retaining their original monumental arrangements of wheat, grapes and vine leaves.

Each carved wood urn is richly modeled in the classical manner with a square plinth, molded and gadrooned foot, lobed lower body, floral and foliate garlands, beaded borders and tall scrolling acanthus handles. The surfaces retain beautifully aged silvered and gilt finishes over traditional gesso, now mellowed through time to a wonderfully atmospheric patina.

Rising from each urn is a removable Eucharistic arrangement composed of individually fashioned and gilded ears of wheat, pendant grape clusters and vine leaves supported on slender metal stems. The imagery of wheat and grapes represents the bread and wine of the Eucharist, strongly indicating their original use as Catholic altar decorations.

The reverse construction remains largely untouched and reveals the hand-carved wooden cores, old iron nails and pins, metal straps and sockets used to secure the elaborate upper arrangements. Their comparatively plain backs further indicate that the pair was intended to be viewed frontally, most likely positioned symmetrically upon or alongside an altar.

Italian, 19th century, probably circa 1850–1880.

Approximately 46 inches high overall. Urn bodies approximately 24 inches high. See less