Damian De Castro

DAMIÁN DE CASTRO (Córdoba, 1716- Seville, 1793).
Bishop's pastoral crozier, c. 1785- 1793.
Gilded silver.
It shows wear.
It has marks.
Measurements: 167,5 x 17 x 9 cm.
Pastoral crozier made in gilded silver, following gothic models within the context of historicism. It is inspired by medieval goldsmith pieces made in precious metals, with set stones. The cresting that follows the general scroll that draws the line of the design, based on small vegetal stems, is also very typical of medieval pieces.
The work bears the marks of the renowned silversmith Damián Castro (Córdoba, 1716 - Seville, 1793). Rafael Ramírez de Arellano, José Valverde and Hernández Perera were the scholars who highlighted the figure of this goldsmith. His career began at the hand of his father, who was also a silversmith, Juan de Castro. In 1729 he was awarded by the guild of silversmiths of the city of Cordova, being this the first rigorous data that is known of his career as a silversmith. Some historians point out, because of his style, that he may have also learned in the workshop of García de los Reyes. In 1736, after the death of his father, he began his solo career. In 1752 he began to work as a senior master of the cathedral and six years later he was appointed deputy hallmarks.