Title

Tabernacle

Anonimous

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

Cultural context / style

Material

Technique

Iconography / Theme

Provenance

Current location

Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

Although the original location of the tabernacle remains unknown, both its typology and polychromy suggest a possible origin in Castilla y León, specifically in the Tierra de Campos region. This area includes parts of the current provinces of León, Zamora, Palencia, and Valladolid. The tabernacle resembles certain works by Juan de Anchieta, a sculptor documented as working in the Basque Country, Valladolid, León, Burgos, and Navarra (García Gainza, 2008). Recently, the Hôtel Drouot auction house included a similar tabernacle in Lot 160, possibly also originating from Tierra de Campos. Nevertheless, this hypothesis remains tentative, pending further information.

In the 1920s, the tabernacle left Spain bound for the United States. Addison Mizner, an American architect and designer, acquired the piece in Spain intending to sell it to Alfred Elliot Dieterich, for whom he was constructing a Spanish-style residence in Montecito, known as Casa Bienvenida. Subsequently, the piece came into the possession of the dealers Loewi-Robertson Inc., who sold it to the National Museum of Scotland in 1983, where it remains to this day.

Information provided by Felix Zorzo.

Description

This is a fragment of a tabernacle. The wood has been polychromed and gilded to give the piece greater richness. On the sides of the tabernacle are the figures of the Evangelists, while in the centre is the risen Christ above the sepulchre and next to the sleeping Roman soldiers.

Locations

• Mid XVI^th c. - ca. 1920

  region

  Possible origin from Castile and Leon, Castilla y León (Spain)

• First quarter of the XX^th c. - Second quarter of the XX^th c.

  dealer/antiquarian

  Addison Mizner, Florida (United States) *

• ca. 1927 - Third quarter of the XX^th c.

  private collection

  Alfred Elliot Dieterich, Millbrook (United States) *

• ca. 1983

  dealer/antiquarian

  Loewi-Robertson Inc., Los Ángeles (United States) *

• ca. 1983 - present

  museum

  National Museum of Scotland, Edimburgo (United Kingdom)