Triton
Statuette
ca. 1685-1695 (made)
ca. 1685-1695 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ivory statuette of Triton is Austrian, made in ca. 1685-95 and by Matthias Steinl (b. 1644; d. 1727). Triton is thought to be Matthias Steinl's earliest surviving sculpture. Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea. He is usually represented as a merman, having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish.
This statuette is without doubt from a larger ivory vessel, the other elements now missing. It is remarkably finely carved and probably served as a stem for a goblet, the vine-leaves alluding to vine.
Steinl practised as an architect and designer as well as a sculptor. He probably trained in Austria and took over the workshop of the sculptor Matthias Knote in Leubus (now Lubina) in the mid-1670s.
This statuette is without doubt from a larger ivory vessel, the other elements now missing. It is remarkably finely carved and probably served as a stem for a goblet, the vine-leaves alluding to vine.
Steinl practised as an architect and designer as well as a sculptor. He probably trained in Austria and took over the workshop of the sculptor Matthias Knote in Leubus (now Lubina) in the mid-1670s.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Triton (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Ivory |
| Brief description | Statuette, ivory, of the sea deity Triton, by Matthias Steinl (1644-1727), Austrian, ca. 1685-95 |
| Physical description | Triton, nude from the waist up, fish-tailed and crowned with a floral wreath, is seated with his arms above his head supporting a huge oval shell. His bearded face is turned down, his eyes with hollowed-out pupils, and he is wearing vine-leaves in his hair. Ivory is mounted on later wood socle. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh, FSA |
| Object history | Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A., 1953. Historical significance: Triton is thought to be Matthias Steinl's earliest surviving sculpture. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This ivory statuette of Triton is Austrian, made in ca. 1685-95 and by Matthias Steinl (b. 1644; d. 1727). Triton is thought to be Matthias Steinl's earliest surviving sculpture. Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea. He is usually represented as a merman, having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. This statuette is without doubt from a larger ivory vessel, the other elements now missing. It is remarkably finely carved and probably served as a stem for a goblet, the vine-leaves alluding to vine. Steinl practised as an architect and designer as well as a sculptor. He probably trained in Austria and took over the workshop of the sculptor Matthias Knote in Leubus (now Lubina) in the mid-1670s. |
| Bibliographic reference | Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 31 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.44-1953 |
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| Record created | January 14, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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