Neo-Romanesque goldsmithing: a monstrance for an abbey

The Mostense abbey of Saint Michel in Silverado (California, USA), of the Norbertine Fathers, is a neo-Romanesque style building, for which we carried out two exceptional works of art last year. goldsmithing. It was a tabernacle inspired by the altarpiece of Aralar and a votive lamp based on the crown of Recesvinto, two of the most outstanding pieces of Hispanic medieval goldsmithing. A set coherent with the aesthetics of the temple, to which this neo-Romanesque monstrance has now been added.

The challenge, on this occasion, was to create a piece in keeping with a style, the Romanesque, for which there are no historical references, since the monstrance was a liturgical object that was introduced later. We opted for a large-format sun monstrance, ornamented with opaque enamels in which blues predominate, as was the case in the medieval enamels of Limoges.

The sun is ornamented with a border that refers to filigree work. This technique was widely used in the goldsmithing It is present in the famous chalice of Saint Rémi (Reims Cathedral), along with the borders and small cabochons, from which the base of our monstrance is inspired.

The monstrance is designed to facilitate the blessing, for which the upper part of the stem that holds the virile can be removed. In the last photograph, our silversmiths, bronze artisans and polishers pose next to the work, together with the rest of the team members who have been involved in it.