CAPEZZALE, TRAPANI, late 17th-early 18th century In gilded brass, coral and silver, the central figure probably representing Saint Barbara; the wooden base on the reverse is of later date. Dimensions: 31 x 21 cm (12 ¼ x 8 ¼ in.) Comparative bibliography: C.Del Mare & M. C. Di Natale, Mirabilia coralii. Capolavori barocchi in corallo tra maestranze ebraiche e trapanesi, Edizione Italiana, Artem, 2009. A gold brass, coral and silver Trapani capezzale, late 17th-early 18th century Coral has always been a highly prized material, used both in its raw form and to create complex objets d'art. Several production centers emerged in the 17th century, including Landshut in Bavaria, Spain and Sicily. Trapani was the most important of these, building its reputation on the quality and finesse of its workmanship, and flourishing thanks to the Viceroy's Court, which commissioned craftsmen to create all manner of fantasies from the end of the 16th to the 18th century. Trapani's production is characterized by the use of small sculpted coral elements, in various shapes, mounted on gilded copper supports, sometimes combined with enamels to obtain a variety of effects. Coral, considered precious in the 16th century, was offered as a diplomatic gift throughout the European courts. Its rarity and Europe's burgeoning interest in the natural sciences made it one of the most popular materials for the creation of objets d'art for princely cabinets of curiosity.