20th Century Neo-Gothic Oratory Altar, Spain, 1890s

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Neo-Gothic Oratory Altar, late 19th - early 20th century - Spain

An extraordinary Neo-Gothic oratory altar with a candle holder … Read more Neo-Gothic Oratory Altar, late 19th - early 20th century - Spain

An extraordinary Neo-Gothic oratory altar with a candle holder and storage compartment, made in the early 1900s. The presence of upper perforations for holding candles or votive candles, along with a lower compartment for their storage, indicates that this is a liturgical piece specifically designed for devotional lighting. It is, therefore, a Neo-Gothic credence table, a small altar of lights intended to accompany a religious image placed on the lower platform. The Gothic architecture functions here as a veritable canopy, creating a monumental frame for the image, while the candles placed above reinforce the dramatic and devotional effect.

The box integrated into the base is a particularly revealing element. This type of solution appears in religious furnishings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries intended for private chapels, religious schools, convents, domestic oratories, or small churches. It allowed for the storage of spare candles, matches, cleaning supplies, or items necessary for the daily maintenance of the altar.

The ornamental repertoire is entirely consistent with a chronology between 1880 and 1920. The pinnacles, terminal crosses, pointed arches, openwork tracery, and green polychromy with gilding reflect the Neo-Gothic style that dominated much of European religious furniture following the impetus of the 19th-century liturgical restoration.

• Category: Oratory altar

• Material: Wood

• Style: Neo-Gothic

• Period: Circa 1900

• Country of origin: Spain

• Dimensions: 167 x 137 x 70 cm

• Condition: Good condition for its age and use See less