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Tazza

1619 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A tazza was often used as a support for a wine cup or spice plate. Reflecting the Renaissance revival of interest in antiquity, this bowl on a pedestal is inset with ancient Roman and later coins.

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Schatzkammer is one of the few collections of its kind formed in the late 20th century. The Schatzkammer, or treasury, was a new concept in the 16th century. It referred to a special chamber in which the most precious artefacts of a princely collection were housed. Gold and jewelled objects were mounted alongside exotic natural curiosities, including rock crystal, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs. Together they demonstrated not only the wonders of nature and the technical achievements of the artist, but also the intellect and culture of the patron.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, cast and engraved
Brief description
Gold and enamel tazza, Silesia, 1619.
Physical description
Gold tazza overall set with gold coins from different periods. It has two flat handles on demi-figure brackets and a short tapered foot. Enamel on the rim.
Dimensions
  • Height: 7cm
  • Diameter: 23cm
  • Weight: 460g
Content description
The following coins are set into bowl and foot of the tazza:
Top
Outer circle: 20 Kremnitz (Hungarian) ducats, 16th century
2nd circle: 20 coins of Hungarian, French and Spanish nationality, and an Islamic coin
3rd circle: 10 coins from Hungary, France etc.
4th circle: 8 pieces, including three coins from England, Austria and Spain and five medals from Germany and Hungary
Centre: Baptismal medal, Germany, 16th century

Foot
1st row: Hungarian (Kremnitz) ducats
2nd ros: Hungarian (Kremnitz) ducats

Thumb pieces
One aureus of Domitian
One solidus of Valentinian

(based upon description, Sotheby's, sale 10 June 1974, lot 5, further research pending)
Marks and inscriptions
  • German dedication of the object to the memory of a mother of seven children, Mrs. Schönaich, née Burghaus by her sons, Hanns and Sebastian. (Inscription on rim of bowl )
    Translation
    In memory of lady Eva Schönaich, née Burghaus, a mother of seven children, her two surviving sons, Hanns and Sebastian / [handle] / the former being the first owner of the succession of the Beunisch [prob. Beuthen in Silesia] estate, the latter of the succession of the estates of Altendorff and Schlaupiz had this [tazza] made * in the year 1619 *
    Transliteration
    GEDECHTNVS FRAV EVEN SCHÖNAICHIN GEBORNE BVRGHAUSIN EINER MVTER SIEBEN KINDER DEREN VIBRIGE ZWENE SÖHNE ALS HERR HANNS VND SEBASTIAN / [inscription interrupted by handle]/ IENER ERSTE BESIZER DES BEVTNISCHEN [adjective, prob. for the town of Beuthen] DIESER DES AMBTIZ ALTENDORFF: VND SCHLAVPIZISCHEN MAIORAS IHR DIESS VERFERTIGEN LASSEN * ANNO: 1619*
  • Records day of death of Mrs Schönaich as 19 January 1619 in German (on foot)
    Translation
    In the year * 1619 * died on the 19th day of January
    Transliteration
    ANNO * M * DC * XIX * STARB DEN XIX TAG IANVARI
Gallery label
(Gallery 70, case 6) 2. Bowl (tazza) inlaid with coins 1619 A tazza, a bowl on a pedestal, was often used as a wine cup or spice plate. Reflecting the Renaissance passion for antiquity, this tazza is inset with ancient Roman and more recent coins. Piekary Slaskie, Silesia (now Poland) Gold and enamel Inscribed in German in memory of Frau Schönaich from her sons, dated 1619 Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.19-2008(16/11/2016)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: Arturo Lopez-Willshaw (1900-1962); Sotheby's London. Twenty Five Renaissance Jewels and Works of Art from the collection of the late Arturo Lopez-Willshaw, 10 May 1974, lot 5; Kugel, Paris, 1988
Subjects depicted
Summary
A tazza was often used as a support for a wine cup or spice plate. Reflecting the Renaissance revival of interest in antiquity, this bowl on a pedestal is inset with ancient Roman and later coins.

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Schatzkammer is one of the few collections of its kind formed in the late 20th century. The Schatzkammer, or treasury, was a new concept in the 16th century. It referred to a special chamber in which the most precious artefacts of a princely collection were housed. Gold and jewelled objects were mounted alongside exotic natural curiosities, including rock crystal, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs. Together they demonstrated not only the wonders of nature and the technical achievements of the artist, but also the intellect and culture of the patron.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Bibliographic reference
Other numbers
  • SG 261 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.709 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • SG 189 - Arthur Gilbert Number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.19-2008

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Record createdJune 19, 2008
Record URL
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