Ciborium; Serra, Barcelona, 18th century.

Ciborium; Serra, Barcelona, XVIII century.
Gilded silver, embossed and chiseled.
Faithful contrast; Rovira.
Measurements: 31 x 14 x 14 x 14 cm.
Weight: 718 g.
The one we present here is an example of the refined rococo style, a language that expresses the dynamism and the play of hallmarks typical of the rococo through motifs such as grooves, moldings, staggered and engraved motifs. It consists of a stepped circular foot, with the different levels marked by grooves and moldings, horizontal stratification that, on the other hand, is continued in the rest of the piece, unifying it at a visual level. This compartmentalization of the piece, designed to enhance each of the parts that make up the structure, is a totally classical criterion that responds to the search for harmony and balance.
A ciborium or ciborium is a container used to hold the Sacred Form, used during the Eucharist. It is a typology created during the Romanesque period, already as a cup with a lid, following the contemporary chalice model. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries it will be the least widespread model of container to hold the host, predominating instead in Europe the host and the Eucharistic dove. However, with the passage of time it will prevail, and after the Counter-Reformation it will become an iconic piece within the Catholic rite, replacing the host (the Eucharistic dove disappears with the arrival of the Gothic period).