North America, Spanish Colonial period, Mexico City, ca. 17th century CE. Wow! An incredibly preserved, handsome, dark walnut altar tabernacle. It features a hinged, arched doorway that swings open to reveal a wooden shelf. This door is equipped with an iron lock, although the key is no longer present. The upper part of the cabinet features crenellations, giving it an ornate appearance befitting its use, while deeply incised floral and vine motifs decorate its front face and sides. The handmade nature of the piece is beautifully evident when examining the details of the carving, with the marks on the wood - especially around the crenellations and arches on the sides - bearing the hallmarks of antique wood working tools. This would have graced a local church rather than a massive cathedral, its face beloved by the community of worshippers who met there. Size: 14.4" L x 20.25" W x 31" H (36.6 cm x 51.4 cm x 78.7 cm)

The tabernacle, the "dwelling place", houses the Eucharist outside of the Catholic Mass, providing a location where it can be protected and adored. A tabernacle like this one would have been central to the church in which it was housed, serving as a fixed point for prayer and worship. Indeed, in many of the Spanish mission churches from Peru to California, people still meet to observe the rise of the winter solstice, which can throw light directly onto the altar tabernacle. Recent scholarship suggests that many Spanish missions churches had these items placed in such a way as to catch the light on that day, symbolically linking the Catholic faith with that of sun worship to inspire indigenous people to truly convert.

Provenance: private Glorieta, New Mexico, USA collection

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#149499

The interior shelf is a recent addition and the top of the tabernacle has also been repaired/restored. Wear on surface commensurate with age, including some scratches, chips, and nicks. Weathering has resulted in some stable cracks to the surface, notably on the front where there is some separation, and the back is lost. The shelf on the interior moves freely. The piece is overall in very nice condition with a rich patina. Key is not present.