Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 69, The Whiteley Galleries

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
  • Diameter: 36.00cm
Marks and inscriptions
Porto Town Mark and also Santiago de Compostella mark of a later date.
Gallery label
  • Silver Gallery: 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.(26/11/2002)
  • DISH Silver-gilt Portuguese (Oporto mark); 1540, (with Santiago mark of later date)
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 createdMay 31, 2000
Record URL
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