"How to look at the works of art"

The restoration of the sacred silver of the parish church of Storo is of particular relevance, since a large number of items and liturgical furnishings have been restored. Domenico Collura from Milan, experienced specialist in working with precious metals, carried out this restoration work (Director: Architect Roberto Paoli; staff of the Autonomous Province of Trento: dott.ssa Daniela Floris and restorer Roberto Perini)

The treasure of the church of San Floriano is composed by a large group of Venetian silver; it was sent on several occasions over two centuries by emigrants from Storo to Venice, as a gift for the parish church in their native village.

It should be remembered, however, that artifacts of the Serenissima (the Most Serene Republic of Venice) are also present in other churches of the area, like Daone Creto and Tione, though not in large quantity.

This treasure thus originated mainly between the 17th and 18th centuries, and it consists of furnishings and clothes for the altar and for religious functions, hanging lamps, candleholders, altar crosses, and altar cards; they are a part of the continuum of donations shown time after time by dates attested between 1670 and 1780; such donations still bear the mark of the Venetian puncheon, the lion of St. Mark.

Information about all silver items are supplied mainly by documents preserved in the parish archives, inventories of the church’s property, which were drawn repeatedly between 1596 and 1735; on the other hand, the account books of the association of emigrants of Storo in Venice are of fundamental importance, since they contain a precise description of the donations, of their value, and their date of purchase.

Much of this information comes from Camilla Bidischini’s dissertation (to whom we had suggested this subject): Oreficerie liturgiche veneziane nel Trentino: il tesoro della parrocchiale di San Floriano a Storo (i.e. liturgical Venetian sacred silver in Trentino: the treasure of the parish of St. Florian in Storo); this thesis was presented at the University of Padua in 1997 under the tutorage of Professoressa Giovanna Baldissin Molli.

Other three silver works must be Venetians, since they bear the lion of St. Mark as distinguishing mark; anyway the relative specific documentation and inscriptions are missing.

Among the most significant items are the following: four processional crosses dating back to the age between the 15th century and the 18th century; three chalices from the 17th century; another chalice is to be dated to year 1737 and was donated by Pietro Scalabrin, who also donated the main altar; a tray for ampoules dated 1749 and donated by priest Don Rolandi; two incense burners; an incense-boat and a reliquary dating back to the first half of the eighteenth century.

The reliquary, which is in fact a shrine, has uncertain origins, though it most probably is a Venetian artefact, since on the top of it is a little statue portraying St. Florian on a horse; the banner in his hand and the armour he’s wearing reveal distinguishing features dating back to the mid-seventeenth century.

As for the furnishing, some other items have to be highlighted: a chalice dating back to the years 1745-50 was made in Trento by silversmith Filippo Sola (Trento 1683 – 1750); an 18th-century monstrance, a chalice and eight reliquaries were made in Brescia; a set of little ampoules by master Franz Ignaz Bertolt (1710 - 1762) were made in Augsburg.