Dish
ca. 1540 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The scenes on this dish are both mythological and biblical showing Hercules taming the mares of King Diomedes, Samson attacking the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, Cleobis and Bito drawing the chariot of a priestess and Jupiter holding a sceptre being led in Triumph. Hercules and Samson were personifications of physical strength and courage, and were allegorical pre-figurations of Christ.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Silver, parcel-gilt |
Brief description | Silver-gilt dish, Portugal (possibly Oporto), ca. 1540. |
Physical description | Dish. On the outer rim biblical subjects (Adam and Eve; Samson smiting the Philistines) are combined with mythological ones (Cupids, Fortune, Hercules taming the horses of Diomedes, and two unidentified Triumphs). The central boss embossed with concentric rings showing cherubs and fighting lions. In centre is a round cartouche engraved with a coat-of-arms (a lion rampant). |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | Porto Town Mark and also Santiago de Compostella mark of a later date. |
Gallery label |
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Object history | Purchase - Mr. Woodgate Exhibitions: S.K.M. Special Loan Exhibition, 1881, No. 952. The depression is fluted and the rim embossed with mixed biblical and mythological scenes. The biblical subjects; Adam, Eve, Sampson smiting the Philistines; the mythological, Fortune, Hercules Taming the horses of Diomedes and two unidentified triumphs. The Spanish marking maybe a nineteenth century addition. The dish is referred to as Portuguese in Pollen. |
Summary | The scenes on this dish are both mythological and biblical showing Hercules taming the mares of King Diomedes, Samson attacking the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, Cleobis and Bito drawing the chariot of a priestess and Jupiter holding a sceptre being led in Triumph. Hercules and Samson were personifications of physical strength and courage, and were allegorical pre-figurations of Christ. |
Bibliographic reference | Oman, Charles. The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665. HMSO, 1968. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 50-1867 |
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Record created | May 31, 2000 |
Record URL |
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