Missaalband met de Hemelvaart van Maria en het Laatste Avondmaal

About this artwork

stadskeur, hoek grote veld achterblad

Art Historical Context

Behold the exquisite *Missaalband met deelvaart van Maria en Laatste Avondmaal (Missal Binding with the Assumption of Mary the Last Supper), crafted Dutch silversmith David Rool in 1738. This substantial silver artifact, measuring 41.7 cm high, 31.3 cm wide, 8.5 cm thick, and weighing a hefty 10.18 kg, served as an ornate cover for a missal—a liturgical book central to Catholic Mass rituals. In the 18th-century Netherlands, such lavish bindings elevated sacred texts, blending devotion with the era's opulent metalworking traditions. Roobol's design features intricate reliefs of two pivotal biblical scenes: the Assumption of Mary, depicting her ascent to heaven, and the Last Supper, Christ's final meal with his disciples. These motifs underscore themes of divine mystery and communal faith, rendered in silver through skilled repoussé techniques that brought depth and narrative vitality to the metal surface. The piece's hallmarks—"stadskeur" (city assay mark) and notations like "hoek grote veld achterblad" (corner of the large field back plate)—attest to its authenticity and regulated craftsmanship, hallmarks of Dutch guild standards ensuring quality and provenance. As a testament to Baroque-era religious artistry, this missal binding not only protected holy scripture but also inspired awe in worshippers, bridging the spiritual and the tangible in 18th-century Europe. A rare survivor of ecclesiastical splendor, it invites us to marvel at silversmithing's sacred legacy.