This piece is a chest made of glass with an ebony wood frame and gilt bronze appliqués. In its middle section, the presence of elements clearly inspired by architecture stands out, thanks to the inclusion of groups of columns with helical shafts made of glass and crowned with bronze capitals of the Corinthian order. The chest, rectangular in plan, generates an interesting interplay of recesses and projections through this structure of double columns, which become triple at the corners. In the intermediate spaces, various glass panels arranged in the form of oculi allow the interior of the receptacle to be seen. Also noteworthy is the decoration of the intermediate moldings, composed of small floral bouquets, pomegranates, birds, and other geometric motifs.
In the opinion of M. Casamar, this beautiful chest may have formed part of a gift given by Pope Urban VIII to Sister Catalina de la Concepción, Doña Catalina de la Cerda y Sandoval, whose primary purpose was the custody of the Blessed Sacrament in the monument of Holy Thursday.
To safeguard this magnificent piece, a protective chest was designed, custom-made in chestnut wood and lined with canvas on its inner side (cf. https://clarisasmonforte.es/peza/baul-da-arca-eucaristica).
- Chamoso Lamas, M. e Casamar, M. (1980). Museo de Arte Sacro Clarisas de Monforte de Lemos. Madrid: Caja de Ahorros de Galicia.
- Lorenzana Lamelo, M.ª L. (1986) Aportación documental al estudio histórico-artístico de dos fundaciones monfortinas: el colegio de la Compañía y el Convento de las Clarisas. Santiago de Compostela: Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.
- Sáez González, M. (1987). La platería en Monforte de Lemos. Lugo: Diputación de Lugo.
- Valle Pérez, J. C., y Fernández Otero, J. C. (1993). Os Museos da Igrexa en Galicia. Ourense: Xunta de Galicia.
