ABOUT THE WORK

Large Crown: This large royal crown with four arches aka corona real was worn by a large statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that was at least 1.5 meters in height. The crown is composed of a circlet chased with twelve eight-pointed stars bordered on either side by a row of bosses between pairs of very thin beaded fillets. Above the circlet are four large rococo reserves bordered by C-scrolls and foliate scrolls alternating with smaller reserves. On one of the large reserves is chased the date 1817, the year the crown was made. Joining the various reserves at the bottom are large symmetrical C-scrolls decorated with smaller rococo reserves on their open spaces. Four arches emanating from the tip of each large reserve are joined together at the top by a ball surmounted by a cross on a tiny orb. The arches are slightly embossed with a series of tiny bosses flanked by a paisley pattern with foliate scrollwork on the outer edges. Medium-Sized Crown: This medium-sized crown with eight arches is called a corona imperial or imperial crown, one worn by an emperor. Theoretically, one worn by an empress should have six arches, but this was not strictly followed in Philippine iconography. The arches are surmounted by an orb with a foliated cross. This particular crown is merely chased, with no hint of embossing whatsoever. The background of the piece is punched back to enable the foliate design to seemingly float. The pattern of the design was inspired by textile patterns found in European brocade. Small Crown: This small, gold-plated royal crown was made for either a statue of the Blessed Virgin or a Sto. Nino. It is of a type that was popular in the 18th century, when the aureole was incorporated into the arches of the crown that face the viewer. The crown is rococo in spirit and design, but the asymmetry that characterized pure rococo is missing. The reserves, including the foliate scrollwork, of the crown are still symmetrical in form, showing the effect of the previous baroque period. -Martin I. Tinio, Jr.