the Archangel Michael, an icon from a Constantinople workshop (late 11th and early 12th century) is made in embossed and gilded silver, cloisonné, enamels, gold foil and semi-precious stones. The Archangel is framed by seven enamel plaques depicting Christ Pantocrator and Saints. The first domestic holy-water stoup appeared between the 15^th and 16th sixteenth centuries, later spreading to private chapels. Made mainly in ceramics, they were variously decorated and featured, in the part hung on the wall, sacred images, sometimes bejewelled. The creativity of master goldsmiths produced precious objects of high artistic level for ornaments, often made with the cooperation of experts in gem and ivory work.

€ 0.05: Icon of the Archangel Michael. Basilica di San Marco (Treasury). Venice.
©2021. Foto Scala, Florence.

€ 1.10: Giovan Battista Foggini (1652-1725): Anna Maria Luisa’s holy-water stoup. Palazzo Pitti. Florence
©2021. Foto Scala, Florence – courtesy of Ministero Beni e Attività Culturali e del Turismo.

€ 1.15:  Table clock in gilded bronze and silver with incisions with foliate scrolls. Germany 17th century.
©2021. De Agostini Picture Library/Scala, Florence.

€ 2.40 – Lorenzo Vaccaro (model attr.): St. George and the Princess. Museo Nazionale di San Martino, Naples.
©2021. De Agostini Picture Library/Scala, Florence.

€ 2.60: Johann Dinglinger (workshop): Gold Coffee service (1697-1701). Grünes Gewӧlbe – Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden. Photo: Jürgen Karpinski.
©2021. Photo Scala, Firenze/bpk Bildagentur fuer Kunst, Kultur und Geschichte, Berlin.