Virreinal or Spanish Virgin Crown; second half of the XVII century.

Virreinal or Spanish Virgin Crown; second half of the XVII century.
Silver plated bronze.
Presents faults.
Measurements: 21 x 20 cm.
Weight: 575 gr.

Made in silver plated bronze, the crown combines structural solidity and luminous effect. The silvering gave the metal a shine similar to that of silver, allowing a resplendent presence on the altar without necessarily resorting to more expensive materials. These pieces usually had openwork decoration, vegetal scrolls and, sometimes, imperial scrolls culminating in a cross, evoking the insignia of monarchic power and symbolically transferring that authority to the figure of the Virgin.
Beyond their ornamental function, the crowns were objects of high devotional and community value. They were often donated by confraternities or private faithful, and were part of coronation ceremonies, festivities and processions. Their relevance lies in the fact that they articulated art, liturgy and social prestige, becoming material testimonies of Baroque piety and of the close relationship between symbolic power and visual representation in the Hispanic world of the 17th century.