Mortar thumbnail 1
Mortar thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Mortar

Mortar
1550-1580 (made)
Artist/Maker
Alberghetti, Giovanni (maker)
Place of origin
Venice (made)

This bell shaped bronze mortar as a handle in the form of a fish. This mortar is attributed to the Alberghetti foundry and is thought to have been made between 1550-80


Object details

Category
Tools & Equipment
Object type
Mortar
TitleMortar
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Bronze
Brief description
Mortar, bronze, birds, animals, fish handle
Physical description
A bronze bell-shaped mortar, with one remaining handle in the form of a fish. Decorated around the rim with arabesque ornament flanked by rope, with a plain moulding; upright stiff leaf on a cyma recta moulding delineated by plain mouldings. On the body, garlands with foliage pendants suspended from a narrow plain moulding, a star or flower above each swag; below, fruit trees flanked by two kinds of flowers (or thistles) and eagles, with a griffin, a lion passant, a walking stag and a scratching hind. Below, a recessed moulding and gadrooned bowl. Moulded foot.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.2cm
  • Rim diameter: 16cm
Object history
Bought from Michelangelo Guggenheim, Venice, in 1889 (with 335 to 354-1889), for £300.
Subjects depicted
Fish
Foliage
Garlands
Summary
This bell shaped bronze mortar as a handle in the form of a fish. This mortar is attributed to the Alberghetti foundry and is thought to have been made between 1550-80
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1889. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1890. pp. 36
  • Motture, Peta. Bells and Mortars. Catalogue of the Italian Bronzes in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, 2001. pp. 114-6, cat. no. 24
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
345-1889

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdOctober 13, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O169276/mortar-mortar-alberghetti-giovanni/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest