Silver chalice made by Gottfried Vogel, from the Fund collection of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”

(in commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra)

Dear friends!

Today, “Artistic Heritage” section would like to introduce a new precious item from the Fund collection of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”. It is a silver chalice created by Gottfried Vogel, the Western European master of the 17th - early 18th centuries (KPL-M-9921).

The iconography of the chalice is reproduced on six medallions, three of which are on the surface of a bowl and three others – on a pallet of the item. Each of the medallions is marked by the composition in it. In the space between medallions there sit the images of winged heads of angels. The main theme of the iconography of the chalice is Christ’s sufferings.

The сomposition of one of the medallions of the gilded bowl consists of several elements. In front there is a bundle of rods criss-crossed with a whip, the braided ox veins of which end with metal balls. Next is a reed branch. It can be seen behind the criss-crossed elements. The image of a reed branch together with the tools of Christ’s torture is not common on the chalice. Beating tools, in turn, pierce the crown of thorns. In the background of the composition one can see the ends of a rope tied with a bow.

The second medallion has criss-crossed images of a pillar, pincers, a hammer, a spear and a sponge. The repetitive element in the background of the composition is a rope tied with a bow. The third medallion also depicts several items. One of them is the Cross with a plaque on top of it. Inscribed is the Latin abbreviation “INRI”, which means “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”. Diagonally and across the Cross there lies the ladder. There are also three nails tied to the ladder and the Cross by the rope fixed in the form of a bow. Nails are known as the instruments of torture in the Western iconography, and they resemble small spikes.

The surface of the pallet is not flat but a kind of “wavy”. Each of its six protruding parts has a medallion of darkened metal. The contrasting combination of dark metal with the gilded surface of the pallet creates a special decorative effect. On one of the protrusions there is a small medallion with the image of the Holy Face. The face of Christ on the chalice differs significantly from his other traditional iconographic images in the fine arts. The next medallion depicts the vestment of Christ and weapon items behind it. There is also a ribbon tied with a bow in the background of this medallion. Studying the pallet of the chalice further on, we can find the next medallion, which pictures a lantern with a candle inside, a glove - under it, a dice - next to it, a weapon - behind the lantern, and, again, a bow, which is made of a ribbon this time. The lantern as a symbolic image of Christ’s sufferings can be found in the works of sacral applied art, while the candle inside the lantern is rather rare thing to see in this context.

Elegant and restrained pattern of acanthus leaves complements the decoration of the pallet. Its smooth and narrow edge has two marks. The first one is “Wroclaw (Breslau)”, according to the marks of M. Gradowski (1685-1709). The second belongs to Gottfried Vogel, who worked in 1688-1709.

There is not much information about the master. He was born in Wroclaw in 1662, in the family of a jeweler by the name Gottfried Vogel. In 1688 he received the title of master. He was married to the daughter of a soap maker and had three daughters. He died on September 19, 1709 as a “guild of jewelers” foreman.

Gottfried Vogel’s chalice, the item of the Fund collection of the Preserve, is one of the best examples of the artworks made by the Western European masters and characterized by the Baroque style. Unfortunately, little is known about the master’s work, but we hope that new discoveries will open them a lot in the future.

The text was prepared by Olena Serhii, senior research associate
Research Division of the Artistic Heritage of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” 

Captions to illustrations:
1. Chalice. Master - Gottfried Vogel. Wrocław, 1688–1699. Silver, minting, engraving, casting, gilding [KPL-M-9921]
2. Images of instruments of torture. Chalice. Fragment of a bowl. Master - Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
3. Images of instruments of torture. Chalice. Fragment of a bowl. Master -Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
4. Images of instruments of torture. Chalice. Fragment of a bowl. Master -Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
5. Composition “The Hole Face”. Chalice. Fragment of the pallet. Master - Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
6. The image of the Christ’s vestment. Chalice. Fragment of the pallet. Master - Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
7. Images of a lantern, a mitten, dice and weapons. Chalice. Fragment of the pallet. Master - Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
8. The image of an angel. Chalice. Fragment of the pallet. Master Gottfried Vogel. Wroclaw, 1688–1699
9. The mark of Gottfried Vogel. Chalice. Wroclaw, 1688–1699