Antique Brocaded Church Document Holder, Bolivia, 2036A

Description

Hand made in folder style, this elaborately decorated Bolivian religious document holder was likely used for priests’ sermons or other important documents.

Each side is embellished with brocaded purple fabric with gold thread. The finely stylized passion flowers are framed with geometric and curved gold borders and the inside and ends are lined in red fabric.  Native to South America, passion flowers were brought to Spain in the 16th century. The flower’s parts became symbols for  aspects of Christ’s crucifixion: its tendrils symbolize his whiplash marks; its center column the Roman whips; its 72 filaments his crown of thorns; and other flower parts the 3 nails used and Jesus’s 5 wounds. White and red roses represent prayer rosaries as well as Jesus’ purity and his blood respectively. As Jesus alluded to the beauty of flowers in his famous Sermon on the Mount and flowers are everywhere in the world and easily understood, they have become common iconic representations.  

Our images do not do it justice as they cannot capture light flickers from the interwoven gold threads and vibrant gold floral patterns.