The Museum of the Ways of the Gaudí Palace presents as November’s Piece of the Month a bell made of cast bronze and iron from the 17th century. Of unknown provenance and anonymous authorship, the piece is on display throughout November on the second floor of the Gaudí Palace.
Bells, a musical instrument known since ancient times, used by the Asian and Egyptian peoples, as well as the Greeks and Romans, were adopted by the Catholic Church to summon the faithful at least as early as the 19th century. V. It is believed that St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, had the first bells cast around 400 in the region of Campania (Naples). Their use became generalized from the year 600 onwards, and they were placed in church towers.
Their sizes and shapes have been evolving, being this specimen presented in the Museum of classic structure, that is to say, inverted cup with three parts: jubo, cup and clapper, made of bronze and iron, depending on its sonority. Decorated with an image of Christ Crucified in its most visible part, in addition to a Virgin and Child and ornamental motifs in the form of stars on the sides, it lacks text or inscription, common in other similar pieces, alluding in them to brief liturgical quotations and date of casting among other data provided.
At the end of the month the piece will move, but will remain, along with those of previous months, until the end of the year. The Gaudí Palace begins November with the winter schedule and can be visited from Monday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm and in the afternoon from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.