Large pewter Temperance dish decorated in... - Lot 33 - Marie-Saint Germain

Lot 33
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Estimation :
3000 - 5000 EUR
Large pewter Temperance dish decorated in... - Lot 33 - Marie-Saint Germain
Large pewter Temperance dish decorated in relief. In the center, on the umbilicus, appears Temperance, it is surrounded by allegories of the Four Elements: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water in cartouches surrounded by terms and caryatids. On the marli, are represented the allegories of the sciences: the military strategy military strategy, letters, oration, rhetoric, music, arithmetic, geometry, and astrology. Each cartouche is separated by separated by a rich decoration of masks, winged horses, floral bouquets, birds and snakes. The base where the Temperance is sitting, bears the initials CL. On the reverse, under the umbilicus, is a medallion in bas-relief with the effigy in profile with the legend in exergue: "Nicolaus Christian". Marked by Nicolaus Christian. About 1590 D: 46 cm Remarkably well preserved copy, presents however some light rubbing, a slight dent as well as two two holes of suspensions. Known under the German name of Edelzinn ("noble pewter"), this late Renaissance production is distinguished by its technical virtuosity as well technical virtuosity as well as by the refinement of its low-relief molded decorations. At its peak in the second half of the 16th century and the first decades of the first decades of the following century, this "pewter goldsmithing" is characterized by elegant forms and ornamentation of Mannerist style, mixing Mannerist style, mixing allegorical figures, ancient heroes and grotesques. Above all an object of decoration and prestige, this luxury tableware is intended to compete with silverware for a less wealthy clientele, but one that was just as concerned with pomp and circumstance. An iconic model of the Renaissance, this ceremonial dish was probably originally created for Duke Frederick I of Württemberg. It was a huge success among German pewter potters, especially in Nuremberg, as well as among some of the most famous potters in Europe today such as François Briot (1550-1616) in Montbéliard or Isaak Faust (1606-1669) in Strasbourg. The original model comes from the figures of Caspar Enderlein (1560-1633), active in Nuremberg. Present in several major museums around the world, this dish is sometimes accompanied by the ewer of the theological virtues. The museum of the Renaissance in Ecouen and the Louvre Museum have such a set. This model has inspired a number of craftsmen who have reproduced it on several supports. By using the technique of molding and and stamping, a technique that was frequently used in metal and ceramic art in the 16th century. Jessie Mac Nab, in the new presentation of French ceramics at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in 1987, suggested that this dish may have been produced in silver, but no example is known to date. As a counterpart, the famous dish known as "de Mars", of which a copy by François Briot has come down to us to this day, collected by Alexandre Charles Sauvageot (1781-1860) and kept in the Louvre Museum (inv OA 534).
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