Holy water stoup; 18th-19th centuries

Blessing stand; 18th-19th century.
Carved and gilded wood.
Measurements: 100 x 34 x 17 cm.
A large sized blessing dish, a feature which indicates that it was conceived for a religious and not a domestic space. The piece, made of carved and gilded wood, has a lower area with a richly carved water bowl, an oval central area with a mirror and a top finish. Benditeras are utensils that contain a container of holy water and are used to make the sign of the cross or to make the sign of the cross. They are a domestic version of the holy water fonts found at the entrance to churches, evoking the water fonts traditionally found around or inside religious and magical places. In popular domestic use, they are usually placed by the front door or in bedrooms and are used by their owners to make themselves holy when they go to bed or get up. They can be defined as small plates or slabs, usually oval, on which various motifs have been carved or moulded, and which are decorated overall. Their lower front part includes a shallow receptacle for holding holy water.