Dish
ca. 1475 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Precious dishes were displayed by wealthy patrons at banquets. Each dish has an enamelled medallion: one of them depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds worshipping the Christ Child and the other two knights in combat. The borders show wild men hunting exotic beasts. This was the era of the great Portuguese explorations along the West Coast of Africa. Legendary wild men symbolise the explorers' views of the indigenous people.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt, embossed and enamelled |
| Brief description | Portugal. Lisbon. Maker's mark: AM. Late 15th century; Silver, Continental |
| Physical description | Set with a plaque of translucent enamel. Upturned rim with flanged edge. Embossed with birds, beasts and monsters attacked by wild men, with a background of foliage. The flat centre is set with the enamelled plaque of translucent enamel, which depicts the Adoration of the Magi. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Maker’s mark AM unidentified, town mark for Lisbon: ship with two ravens. |
| Gallery label | Silver Gallery:
Precious dishes were displayed by wealthy patrons at banquets. Each dish has an enamelled medallion: one of them depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds worshipping the Christ Child and the other two knights in combat. The borders show wild men hunting exotic beasts. This was the era of the great Portuguese explorations along the West Coast of Africa. Legendary wild men symbolise the explorers' views of the indigenous people.(26/11/2002) |
| Object history | J.C Robinson Collection Exhibitions: S.K.M. Special Loan Exhibition, 1881, Nos. 916,7. Paris, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Exhibition, 1954, No. 37. 'Portuguese Discoveries and Renaissance Europe', 17th Council of Europe, Lisbon, 7 April - 7 July 1983. Acquired from J.C. Robinson's collection and originally labelled 'Spanish Gothic Work. about 1330-50'. The town mark was later wrongly attributed to Oviedo. Both dishes (143-1879 and 144-1879) appear to belong to the same set although one is decorated with a religious and the other with a secular subject. |
| Summary | Precious dishes were displayed by wealthy patrons at banquets. Each dish has an enamelled medallion: one of them depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds worshipping the Christ Child and the other two knights in combat. The borders show wild men hunting exotic beasts. This was the era of the great Portuguese explorations along the West Coast of Africa. Legendary wild men symbolise the explorers' views of the indigenous people. |
| Associated object | REPRO.1881-6 (Reproduction) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 143-1879 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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