Paschal Candlestick
Unknown Artist
ca. 1450–1500
Medium
Wood with paint and gilding
Dimensions
Overall: 77 x 17 1/4 in. (195.6 x 43.8 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
Spanish
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1944
Accession Number
44.63.1a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the sacred world of late medieval Spain with this magnificent *Paschal Candlestick*, around 1450–1500. nearly 77 inches tall, this wooden tower was designed to hold the Paschal candle during Easter Vigil services in Catholic churches. The candle, lit from the new fire, symbolizes Christ's resurrection and the triumph of light over darkness—a profound ritual rooted in early Christian traditions that persists today. Carved from wood and embellished with vibrant paint and shimmering gilding, the candlestick features intricate reliefs of Apostles, Adam and Eve, and various saints. These...