Installation view of To the Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum at The Frick Collection, showing Pietro, Eutichio, and Sebastiano di Varano’s Throne of Eucharistic Exposition (Messina, 1665) (top center) and other works from the Kingdom of Spain, courtesy the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.

NEW YORK - The Frick Collection presents a stunning exhibition of more than forty objects on loan from the Terra Sancta Museum. Ranging from liturgical objects in gem-encrusted gold and silver to richly decorated vestments in velvet, damask, and other fine materials, the works were created for the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and were largely unknown until their rediscovery by scholars in the 1980s. They represent the pinnacle of European craftsmanship in these fields during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and many have no parallel anywhere in the world. To the Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum offers visitors the opportunity to view these objects for the first time in North America.

The exhibition features a selection from the Treasure of the Custody of the Holy Land, established in 1309 by the Franciscan order to oversee Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and the Middle East. One of the major sites that the Custody oversees (alongside other Christian denominations) is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher—the holiest place in Christianity, believed to be the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Over the centuries, European Catholic monarchs and Holy Roman Emperors sent sumptuous gifts to the Franciscans in Jerusalem, often in the form of liturgical objects and vestments. The golden age of this gift-giving occurred from the early 1600s to the late 1700s, the range represented in the exhibition. The Franciscans have safeguarded the works ever since, using them in Mass and other religious ceremonies to the present day.

Ahead of the opening of the Custody’s new Terra Sancta Museum at Jerusalem’s St. Savior Monastery, objects from its incredible collection have been traveling to institutions in Europe and now North America. A 2013 exhibition showcased loans from the Holy Sepulcher at the Palace of Versailles, and more recent presentations have been held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon; the Gaiás Centre Museum, Santiago de Compostela; and the Museo Marino Marini, Florence. After the Frick debuts its unique U.S. exhibition in New York, Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum will travel to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas (March 15 through June 28, 2026).

The exhibition is organized by Xavier F. Salomon, the Frick’s Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, along with Jacques Charles-Gaffiot and Benoît Constensoux, members of the Terra Sancta Museum’s Scientific Committee. The presentation continues the Frick’s strong tradition of shows centered on European gold- and silversmithing of this period. Past highlights include Gold, Jasper, and Carnelian: Johann Christian Neuber at the Saxon Court (2012); Pierre Gouthière: Virtuoso Gilder at the French Court (2016–17); Luigi Valadier: Splendor in Eighteenth-Century Rome (2018–19); and The Gregory Gift (2023). The award-winning Valadier exhibition was curated by art historian Alvar González-Palacios, who in the 1980s rediscovered and published the Custody of the Holy Land’s artistic holdings for the first time, laying the groundwork for this unprecedented project.

Commented Salomon, “This exhibition represents a completely unique opportunity for visitors, building on the Frick’s successful past presentations highlighting masters of European decorative arts. Displayed for the first time in the United States, the exquisite objects in this show are rare survivals, as similar objects were often severely damaged, melted down, or otherwise lost—nothing like them survives in the countries in which they were created. We are deeply grateful for this collaboration with the Custody of the Holy Land as we look ahead to the opening of the Terra Sancta Museum, which will offer a more permanent public display of these treasures.”

For his work on the exhibition, occurring over a period of years, Salomon has been awarded the Cross of Merit (Crucem Ex Merito) by the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The ceremony for this prestigious honor will take place this fall. Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum is Salomon’s final exhibition at The Frick Collection, after a tenure of more than a decade at the helm of the museum’s Curatorial Department. Following the show’s opening, in November, Salomon will take up the role of Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Portugal.

EXHIBITION GALLERIES ORGANIZED BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

This show marks the first presentation in all three rooms of the Frick’s new Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries, which opened earlier this summer. Visitors will first encounter an introduction to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, including an eighteenth-century scale model of the church, exquisite vestments, a gilded reliquary, and a monumental silver relief depicting the Resurrection. The exhibition’s display will then be organized geographically by the countries in which the objects on view were created and subsequently sent to Jerusalem.

Objects from the Kingdom of France mainly comprise prestigious gifts for use in worship, commissioned and sent by Kings Louis XIII, Louis XIV, and Louis XV. Some of these are completely unique survivals, similar metallic objects having been melted down by later monarchs or during the French Revolution.

The Holy Roman Empire is represented by donations from Emperor Charles VI and his daughter, Empress Maria Theresa. These include complete sets of vestments and gold and silver objects such as a large sanctuary lamp, as well as a ewer and basin and an engraved gilt-silver dish that have secular forms but served liturgical functions.

The Kingdom of Spain was by far the leading donor to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Gifts on view from Spain trace its monarchs’ enduring devotion to holy sites, including Philip II (represented by a beautiful chalice) and Philip IV and his son Charles II (who gave a massive Throne of Eucharistic Exposition along with candlesticks and vases featuring the royal arms of Spain).

Highlights of the section devoted to the Kingdom of Portugal were given by John V, known as “the Magnanimous” for his luxurious commissions. These include vestments and a gold sanctuary lamp, which have no surviving parallels in Portugal today.

Finally, gifts from modern-day Italy are divided into sections for the Kingdom of Naples and the Republics of Venice and Genoa. Venice is represented by vestments and a pair of monumental silver torchères, which stand at more than eight feet tall, while Genoa gave a beautiful cope featuring intricate embroidered floral designs and a spectacular scene of St. George attacking the dragon. The Neapolitan gifts are among the finest examples in the show and were all given by King Charles III, later king of Spain. These include an exquisite crucifix in gold, lapis lazuli, and gemstones; a highly adorned Throne of Eucharistic Exposition topped with a crown; and the magnificent crozier that graces the exhibition catalogue’s cover.
 

RICH DIALOGUES WITH THE FRICK’S PERMANENT COLLECTION

The objects in the exhibition also offer illuminating connections to works from the Frick’s permanent collection. Chief among them is Giovanni Bellini’s St. Francis in the Desert. The saint’s spiritual vision and stigmatization depicted in the panel are believed to have taken place in 1224, just five years after Francis visited North Africa, which may have included a trip to holy sites in Jerusalem. By the 1250s, his followers had established a base there, which led to the creation of the Custody of the Holy Land. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to view Bellini’s celebrated painting in its traditional location in the museum’s Living Hall.

A large Throne of Eucharistic Exposition and a set of candlesticks in the exhibition were given by Philip IV of Spain, a few years after Diego Velázquez painted the Frick’s captivating portrait of the king, on view in the museum’s West Gallery. Louis XIII, who donated several silver objects and a set of fleur-de-lys vestments, and Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa, who gave a gold sanctuary lamp, are both depicted in portrait medals in the Frick’s new Medals Room. Maria Theresa and her father, Charles VI, were also intimately connected to Vienna’s Du Paquier manufactory; many pieces of goldwork in the exhibition feature patterns used in Du Paquier porcelain, examples of which are shown in a new passage on the museum’s second floor.

Finally, a number of objects in the show were gifts of Louis XIV of France and his successor, Louis XV, including a set of vestments with the latter’s coat of arms. Both monarchs are the subjects of sculptures in the museum’s galleries. Louis XV’s official mistresses also have notable connections to the Frick: Madame de Pompadour commissioned François Boucher’s series The Four Seasons, in the museum’s West Vestibule, while Madame du Barry commissioned Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s Progress of Love, which adorns the Fragonard Room.

Palestinian craftsmen, Model of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, 18th century. Olive and pistachio wood, mother-of-pearl, camel bone, 34.5 × 49 × 54 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Throughout the early modern period, Palestinian craftsmen based in Bethlehem created detailed models of the holy sites of Christianity, among them, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and that of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. These luxurious objects were made with precious local materials, such as exotic woods, mother-of-pearl from shells from the Red Sea, and camel bone and were intended as gifts from the Custody for important donors. The representations of these churches, accurate even in their interiors (the models can be opened, like a dollhouse), also served to show what these buildings looked like to a European audience for whom travel to the Holy Land would have been difficult before the nineteenth century.

Spain or Middle East, Humeral Veil, late 16th or early 17th century. Silk, gold and silver thread, 277 × 65.5 cm, 1.27 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Between 1187 and 1917, Jerusalem was under Muslim rule, first under the Egyptian Mamluks and later under the Turkish Ottomans. This object reflects the encounter between Islam and Christianity. A Muslim textile for clothing or furnishing was transformed into a Christian object, a humeral veil, a long scarf worn over the shoulders by the priest and falling to the sides. When carrying the Holy Sacrament, the priest uses the humeral veil to hold the monstrance. This veil is decorated with the arms of King Philip II of Spain (r. 1556–98).

Robert Landry (act. in Paris 1618–35), Reliquary of the True Cross, 1628–29. Gilt silver, glass, 51 × 33.5 × 21.5 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

The interior of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher includes the Hill of Calvary, the site where Jesus Christ was crucified. Since Empress Helena (246/48–330) rediscovered the relics of the Passion of Christ, fragments of the wooden cross on which Christ was killed have been the most precious relics in Christianity. Traditionally, such reliquaries are made in the shape of a cross and include minuscule wooden fragments at their center. Created in Paris in the seventeenth century, this object is usually displayed in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on two feast days: May 6 (the feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross) and September 14 (the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross).

Naples, The Resurrection, 1736. Silver, 171 × 199.5 × 27 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

The tomb in which Christ was buried and from which he resurrected three days later is at the heart of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This monumental relief depicts the defining moment for Christians: Jesus triumphantly emerging from his tomb, as the Roman soldiers guarding it sleep. The tomb at the Holy Sepulcher is a very small space, smaller than this room. This relief may have been intended to be placed inside the tomb, as its size almost matches one of the walls of the structure. However, this would have been impossible because of the very small door into the tomb. The anonymous Neapolitan sculptor who created this relief may have based it on designs by the Italian painter Francesco Solimena (1657–1747).

Milan or Genoa, Chasuble from the Dark Purple “Arma Christi” Set of Pontifical Vestments, ca. 1600.Silk velvet, gold and silver thread, 116 × 72 cm, 1.35 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Probably intended to commemorate the Jubilee Year of 1600, this chasuble and other liturgical vestments were sent from the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Lombardy, in Milan, to the Holy Sepulcher. The chasuble is decorated with the Arma Christi (Weapons of Christ), instruments and objects that were associated with the Passion, among them, the crown of thorns, a ladder with a lance and a sponge, a column, and whips, each representing a different episode. They are interspersed with the symbol of Jerusalem, the five crosses. The dark color of this chasuble indicates that it would have been used for ceremonies on Good Friday, the day commemorating the death of Christ on the Cross. 

Claude Caignet (act. as of 1609), Large Sanctuary Lamp, 1617–18. Gilt silver. H.: 75 cm, diam.: 26 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Attributed to Claude Caignet (act. as of 1609), Large Processional Cross, ca. 1620. Gilt silver, 274 × 51.5 × 16 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Claude Caignet (act. as of 1609) and an anonymous Parisian goldsmith, Six Altar Candlesticks, 1620–45. Gilt silver. Candlestick Pair A: A) h. 44 cm; base diam. 15.5 cm; drip pans diam. 11.5 cm B) h. 43.5 cm; base diam. 15.5 cm; drip pans diam. 11.5 cm; Candlestick Pair B: A) h. 44 c); base diam. 16.5 c); drip pans diam. 14.5 c) B) h. 44 c); base diam. 17 c); drip pans diam. 14 c); Candlestick Pair C: A) h.39 c); base diam. 13.5 c); drip pans diam. 10.5 cm B) h.37.5 c); base diam. 13.5 c); drip pans diam. 10.5 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Alexandre Paynet (or Penet) (act. 1615–56), Red Pontifical Vestments: Three Copes, 1619. Silk, gold and silver threads. Cope 1: 150 × 300 cm, 6.42 kg; cope 2: 153 × 300 cm, 7.28 kg; cope 3: 152 × 300 cm, 6.19 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Alexandre Paynet (or Penet) (act. 1615–56), Red Pontifical Vestments: Two Dalmatics, 1619. Silk, gold and silver threads. Dalmatic 1: 108 × 122 cm, 3.96 kg; Dalmatic 2: 108 × 121 cm, 3.54 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Alexandre Paynet (or Penet) (act. 1615–56), Red Pontifical Vestments: An Antependium, 1619. Silk, gold and silver threads, 96.5 × 210 cm, 3.65 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Claude Caignet (act. as of 1609), Two Ceremonial Basins, 1620–24 Gilt silver. Diam.: 39 cm; depth: 3 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

According to a longstanding tradition, a credenza laden with ceremonial dishes is placed in the choir of churches during Pontifical Mass (a solemn Mass celebrated by a high-ranking prelate, like a bishop or the Custos). The two large basins, decorated with the arms of France and Navarre and with fleurs-de-lys, were sent to Jerusalem in 1635 as a gift from Louis XIII (r. 1610–43).

Nicolas Dolin (act. 1648–84), Crozier, 1654–55. Gilt silver, glass, semi-precious stones, 203.5 × 17 × 10.5 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

A crozier (or pastoral staff) is used by a bishop (and by the Custos) during offices to symbolize his pastoral responsibilities. This one, created in Paris by the goldsmith Nicolas Dolin, was a gift from Louis XIV (r. 1643–1715) to the Custody of the Holy Land. It is decorated with the lilies (fleurs-de-lys) of France and two statuettes of St. Louis, King of France, and his nephew, the Franciscan Bishop St. Louis of Toulouse, both ancestors of the king.

Nicolas Dolin (act. 1648–84), Chalice, 1661–63. Gilt silver, glass, semi-precious stone. H.: 31 cm, base diam.: 18 cm, cup diam.: 11 cm, Terra Santa Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Nicolas Dolin (act. 1648–84), Paten, 1661–63. Gilt silver, glass, semi-precious stone. Diam.: 19.3 cm, Terra Santa Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

This chalice is decorated, on its base, with the arms of France and Navarre and with a relief of St. Louis (Louis IX) holding the crown of thorns and three nails. The king had acquired some of the Passion relics and brought them to Paris. On the stem are small statuettes of Christ, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Anthony of Padua. Along the upper part are reliefs of the Flagellation, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. The paten is decorated with a relief of the Assumption of the Virgin. This magnificent chalice and paten, a gift from Louis XIV, arrived in Jerusalem on May 4, 1665.

Jean Hubé (act. 1636–87), Ciborium, 1668–69. Gilt silver. Cup: 39.5 × 16.7 × 15 cm; Lid: h. 14 cm, diam. 15 cm ; Cross on lid: h. 8.4 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

A ciborium (or pyx) is a container for the consecrated Host. The relief scenes on this object refer to the Passion of Christ and the Eucharist and are linked to the use of the vessel. On the base are the Agony in the Garden, the Washing of the Feet, and Christ before His Judges. On the cup are the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Supper at Emmaus. The domed cover depicts scenes of the Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, the Paschal Lamb, and the Fall of Manna. The figure of the resurrected Christ stands at the top. The ciborium is probably a gift from Charles Olier (1635–1685), marquis de Nointel, who, as French ambassador to Constantinople, visited Jerusalem in March 1674.

France, Set of Pontifical Vestments: Cope, 1741. Silk, gold and silver threads, 140 × 306 cm, 5.31 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

France, Set of Pontifical Vestments: Chasuble, 1741. Silk, gold and silver threads, 125 × 69 cm, 2.19 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

France, Set of Pontifical Vestments: Dalmatic, 1741. Silk, gold and silver threads, 98 × 133 cm, 2.84 kg, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This set of vestments was delivered to Jerusalem in April 1741 from the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Paris. They were a gift from the Kingdom of France, under the reign of Louis XV (r. 1715–74). The fabric used for the paraments represents the finest in French weaving from around 1735–40 and was most likely made in Lyon. While a chasuble is worn by priests during Mass, a cope is used during solemn celebrations and processions. A dalmatic, identifiable by its sleeves, is usually worn by deacons.

Daniel I. Schäffler (1659–1727), Ewer and Basin, ca. 1721–25. Gilt silver. Ewer: 26 × 12 × 25.5 cm Basin: Diam.: 53 cm; depth: 5 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

In August 1730, a shipment reached Jerusalem from the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Vienna. This included a series of significant gifts—among them, this ewer and basin—from the emperor Charles VI to be used in the churches of the Holy Sepulcher and of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Objects of this kind are used for the washing of the hands of the Custos during Mass, usually before the consecration of the Eucharist. Goldsmiths, such as Daniel Schäffler, produced objects like these for both religious and secular purposes. Originally from Dresden, Schäffler worked in Augsburg where he specialized in the creation of ceremonial pieces and toilette services.

Michael Gotthardt Unterhuber (1657/58–1743), Dish, 1732. Gilt silver, 45.5 × 54 × 3.5 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

This large dish, one of a pair, is engraved with the imperial coat of arms, surrounded by the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece. It was a gift to the Custody from Emperor Charles VI, who, in 1736, sent another pair of similar dishes. Dishes such as this have no practical purpose. They are displayed on a credenza during pontifical ceremonies. The engraved decoration around the rim is similar to decoration that was painted, around the same time, on porcelain pieces produced by the Du Paquier Manufactory in Vienna.

Vienna, Chalice, 1737. Gilt silver, enamal, semi-precious stones, 32.5 × 18 × 11 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This splendid chalice is decorated with enamel plaques that depict episodes from the Passion of Christ. On the base are the Flagellation, the Crowning with Thorns, and the Bearing of the Cross; and on the chalice are the Agony in the Garden, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. The angels in relief hold some of the instruments of the Passion (whip, crown of thorns, and spear). Under the supervision of Brother Hugo Babler, the Commissariat in Vienna sent impressive gifts to Jerusalem in the 1730s, at the time of Emperor Charles VI.

Master IK, Tray and Cruets, 1740. Gold, gilt silver, precious and semi-precious stone. Tray: 34 × 41.5 × 2.5 cm Cruets: Each 15.5 × 8.5 × 14 × 6.5 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Cruets are small containers for water and wine that are poured by the priest into the chalice during Mass. The decoration of this magnificent set is linked to its use. Wheat and grapes are shown surrounding four biblical scenes (relating to water and wine) in relief in pink gold: Rebecca at the Well, the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Samaritan Woman at the Well, and the Last Supper. On the bodies of the cruets are reliefs displaying the four virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, and Meekness. A gift as luxurious as this most likely came from the emperor. Signed with the initials IK, the piece must have been made by an important Viennese goldsmith.

Attributed to Johann Caspar Kriedemann (act. 1734–59), Santuary Lamp, 1758–59. Gold, gilt silver, 88.5 × 31 × 29 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

On August 1, 1730, Emperor Charles VI (r. 1711–40) gifted a gold sanctuary lamp to the Holy Sepulcher. On the night of April 2 (eve of Palm Sunday), 1757, the Greek clergy at the Holy Sepulcher attacked the Franciscan friars and ransacked and smashed much of the Latin Treasure; the lamp of Charles VI was heavily damaged. This lamp may have been made in Vienna with the gold of the previous lamp. It was a gift from Empress Maria Theresa (r. 1740–80), in honor of her parents, Charles VI and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The lamp is decorated with reliefs showing three episodes from the life of Christ: the Nativity, the Resurrection, and the Ascension. It arrived in Jerusalem on May 5, 1759.

Juan Rodríguez de Babia (ca. 1525–1594), Chalice, 1587. Gilt silver. H.: 26 cm, base diam.: 16.2 cm, diam.: 9.8 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This chalice is one of the earliest surviving pieces in the Latin Treasure. It was a Spanish tradition for the king to present three chalices to churches or religious communities on the Feast of the Epiphany. These chalices were blessed during Mass to commemorate the gifts of the Magi to the baby Jesus. A gift to the Custody from Philip II (r. 1556–98), this chalice is inscribed with the name of Don García de Loaysa y Girón, royal chaplain and tutor of the future Philip III (r. 1598–1621).

Castile, Pair of Holy Oil Vessels, before 1640. Silver. Each: H.: 12.1 cm, diam.: 6 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Small vessels like these were meant to contain the chrism (oil blessed on Holy Thursday and used for the sacraments of baptism and confirmation) and the oil for the catechumens (used for exorcisms). Both are decorated with the royal arms of Spain and the crosses of Jerusalem.

Pietro (ca. 1609–1705), Eutichio (d. 1682), and Sebastiano (d. 1701) Juvarra, Throne of Eucharistic Exposition, 1665. Silver, gilt silver, gilt copper, glass, precious and semi-precious stones, 186 × 110.5 × 40.5 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Pietro (ca. 1609–1705), Eutichio (d. 1682), and Sebastiano (d. 1701) Juvarra, Six Candlesticks, ca. 1673. Silver, gilt silver, gilt copper, glass, precious and semi-precious stones. Candlestick A: 110 × 34.5 × 30 cm; Candlestick B: 111 × 33 × 31 cm; Candlestick C: 111.5 × 33.5 × 31 cm; Candlestick D: 110 × 34 × 31 cm; Candlestick E: 107 × 32.5 × 31 cm; Candlestick F: 103 × 33.5 × 31 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Pietro (ca. 1609–1705), Eutichio (d. 1682), and Sebastiano (d. 1701) Juvarra, Four Vases, ca. 1673. Silver, gilt silver, gilt copper, glass, precious and semi-precious stones. Vases A and B: 107 × 41 × 24.5 cm; Vase C: 107 × 36.5 × 24.5 cm; Vase D: 107 × 37.5 × 24.5 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

A Throne of Eucharistic Exposition is a structure that usually includes an apse in which a monstrance can be placed to display the Holy Sacrament. This example, which arrived in Jerusalem in April 1666, was a gift from Philip IV of Spain (r. 1621–65) but was paid for from the coffers of the Kingdom of Sicily (at the time, Sicily belonged to Spain). It was made by a prominent goldsmith from Messina, Pietro Juvarra, in collaboration with his sons, Eutichio and Sebastiano. The candlesticks and decorative vases with flowers were also produced in Messina by the Juvarra workshop. Embellished with towers and lions—symbols of Castile and Leon (principal regions of Spain)—they are gifts from Philip IV’s son, Charles II (r. 1665–1700), and are used to decorate an altar during a pontifical Mass.

Southern Italy (Naples or Sicily) or Spain, Antependium, ca. 1675–1700. Silk, linen, gold and silver thread, 100 × 231 cm, 3.21 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

During Mass, the front of an altar is usually decorated with an antependium (or palliotto) made of metal, wood, or fabric. This example is richly embroidered with floral and plant motifs. Although it could have been made in Spain, it was more likely created in Southern Italy, as a gift from the Spanish Crown.

Spain, Dalmatic from the White Pontifical Vestments of Spain, 1758–60. Silk, gold and silver threads, 108 × 130 cm, 2.98 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

A pontifical set of vestments of twenty pieces arrived in Jerusalem in June 1760. This was a gift from Ferdinand VI (r. 1746–59) and his wife, Queen Maria Barbara of Portugal. Originally, these were black vestments, with scenes from the Passion of Christ, used on Good Friday at the Holy Sepulcher. In 1885, however, the vestments were sent back to Spain, where the Sisters Adorers of Valencia

Chalice, 1778–80. Gold. H.: 27 cm, base diam.: 12.6 cm, cup diam.: 9 cm, Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Documented as working in Madrid and Córdoba, Damián de Castro y Osorio was the principal Spanish goldsmith of the second half of the eighteenth century. The base of this chalice, which was donated by Spanish benefactors, is decorated with figures of angels holding the instruments of the Passion of Christ and, above, Christ at the Column and Our Lady of Sorrow. A third figure is missing.

Attributed to Fabio Vendetti, Sanctuary Lamp, 1786. Silver. H. (top of hanging ring) 143.5 cm; h. (top of silver) 133.5 cm; w. 57 cm; d. 57 cm; weight: 40.8 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Inspired by Italian models, this monumental silver sanctuary lamp has no equal among surviving contemporary Spanish works. It may be the work of Fabio Vendetti, an Italian silversmith who, together with his father Antonio, was active in Spain. The lamp is decorated with the coats of arms of the Custody and of the Kingdom of Spain. The four large sculptures around the lamp represent the four Evangelists with their symbols: Matthew (with an angel), Mark (with a lion), Luke (with an ox), and John (with an eagle).

Portugal. Basin, 1673. Silver. H.: 17 cm, diam.: 58.7 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This basin was used to wash the feet of pilgrims arriving at the Holy Sepulcher. During the ceremony of Maundy Thursday, the Custos—and the Patriarch of Jerusalem today—washes the feet of pilgrims to commemorate the action of Christ before the Last Supper. This large basin was the gift of the future king Peter II of Portugal (r. 1683–1706), who had been regent since 1667.

Lisbon. Sanctuary Lamp, 1740s. Gold, 68.5 × 27.5 × 25 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Lisbon. Lectern Cloth from the “Palm Leaf ” Set of Pontifical Vestments of Portugal, 1728. Silk velvet, gold and silver thread, 265 × 60.5 cm, 0.99 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

A set of fabrics was sent by King John V of Portugal (r. 1706–50) to the Custody of the Holy Land in 1728. Made of elegant velvet decorated with a pattern of pomegranates, these were from the Italian city of Genoa. The fabric is described in documents as “a drapery from Portugal, an opulent piece of material, with a silver ground to be used on the outside of the Most Holy Saint Sepulcher.” Later, in 1735, the king sent a set of pontifical vestments with a similar fabric.

Gennaro De Blasio (act. 1724–40), Antependium, 1731. Silver and gilt bronze, 98.5 × 242 × 29 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This antependium is made of three parts: a central relief showing the Pentecost—the moment when the Holy Spirit appeared to the Virgin Mary and the apostles after the resurrection of Christ—and two wings with the figures of St. Bonaventure (left) and St. Louis of Anjou (right) in niches. The altar frontal is signed by Gennaro De Blasio, son of the Neapolitan silversmith Andrea De Blasio and consul of the guild of silversmiths in the city in 1740. The antependium arrived in Jerusalem on June 8, 1731.

Naples, Monstrance, 1746. Gold, precious stones, 71 × 26 × 18 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Made of solid gold and studded with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds, this monstrance is an extraordinary survival of Neapolitan goldsmith work. As indicated from the inscription on the base, it was a gift from the Kingdom of Naples at the time of King Charles of Bourbon (r. 1734–59). It was brought to Jerusalem in January 1747.

Antonio de Laurentiis, Throne of Eucharistic Exposition, 1754. Gold, gilt copper, glass, precious and semi-precious stones, 174.5 × 82 × 39 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

Following the arrival of the Neapolitan gold monstrance in 1747, the Kingdom of Naples sent this Throne of Eucharistic Exposition to Jerusalem in October 1755. Extraordinary for its size and the value of its materials, this is the most impressive object preserved today in the Latin Treasure and one of the most important survivals of eighteenth-century European goldsmith work. The throne bears the arms of King Charles and of his wife, Queen Maria Amalia of Saxony. On the base at left, it is signed by the Neapolitan goldsmith Antonio de Laurentiis, whose name is associated primarily with objects in gold-inlaid tortoiseshell and mounted snuffboxes.

Naples, Crucifix, 1756. Gold, lapis lazuli, precious and semi-precious stones, 90 × 34.2 × 23 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

The base of this crucifix displays a royal crown, the Jerusalem Cross, and a horse (the arms of the Commissariat of Naples). This opulent object was delivered to Jerusalem in June 1757, after the Neapolitan monstrance and Throne of Eucharistic Exposition. It was a gift from King Charles of Naples and “his most faithful subjects.” The crucifix can be placed in the niche of the Throne of Eucharistic Exposition instead of the monstrance, depending on the occasion.

Naples, Crozier, 1756. Gold, glass, precious and semi-precious stones, 198 × 15.5 × 11 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

The Commissariat of Naples sent this glorious crozier, together with the gold and lapis lazuli crucifix, to the Holy Sepulcher in June 1757. It is meant for use by the Custos. The four statuettes represent three Franciscan saints—Francis of Assisi, Bonaventure, and Louis of Anjou—and Januarius, the patron saint of Naples. In the context of Neapolitan goldsmith work, this crozier is unparalleled by any other similar, surviving works of art.

Venice. Miter from the Pontifical Vestment in Crimson Velvet of Venice, 1669–72. Silk velvet, gold and silver thread, semi-precious stones, 86 × 34.5 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection

Venice. Chasuble from the Pontifical Vestment in Crimson Velvet of Venice, 1669–72. Silk velvet, gold and silver thread, semi-precious stones, 124 × 86.5 cm, 4.31 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

A pontifical set of vestments in seventeen pieces was sent from Venice to Jerusalem, between 1669 and 1675. The Republic of Venice played a major role in the relations between Europe and the Holy Land, for it was from there, as of the Middle Ages, that most religious pilgrims embarked on their journey. The Venetians also provided the Franciscans, in the early modern period, with glassware, pharmaceutical products, books, and writing paper.

Al San Lorenzo Giustinian Workshop, Pair of Torchères, 1762. Silver and gilt silver. Each: 244 × 70 × 63 cm. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

After the Greek Orthodox clergy ransacked the Holy Sepulcher, on April 2, 1757, the Custody managed to recover a number of damaged objects and bought back others that had been stolen. They reclaimed 1,304 ounces of silver from the objects that could not be salvaged. The silver was sent to Venice, where it was used to create new liturgical objects for the Holy Sepulcher, among them, these two torchères. They were produced in one of the most prominent silversmith shops in Venice: al San Lorenzo Giustinian. Venetian workshops were identified by their shop signs (in this case an image of St. Lorenzo Giustinian). The torchères are decorated with reliefs showing scenes from the Passion of Christ and with statuettes of the four Evangelists (most prominently, St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice) and the three Theological Virtues (Hope, Faith, and Charity). They reached Jerusalem on June 23, 1765.

Genoa, probably Workshop of Domenico Piola (1628–1703), Cope from the Red Pontifical Set of Vestments of Genoa, 1686–97. Embroidered silk, 137.5 × 281.5 cm, 3.15 kg. Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem © The Frick Collection
 

This cope is part of a remarkable set of vestments given by Genoa to the Custody of the Holy Land. The importance of the thirteen vestments that make up this set lies not in the opulence of its elements, which feature neither gold nor silver thread, but rather in the quality of its design and the virtuosity of the embroidery. The arms of Genoa and of the Custody are combined with interlacing scrolls with flowers and fruits. The central scene represents the patron saint of the Republic of Genoa: George defeating the dragon. The parts of the set were delivered to Jerusalem between 1687 and 1697. The set’s design has been attributed to the Genoese painter Domenico Piola and members of his workshop, including his brother-in-law, Stefano Camogli, who specialized in painting flowers, fruit, and arabesque motifs.