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 |
Brief description | Portugal. Lisbon mark. 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, background of foliage. The flat centre is set with a plaque on which is represented, in translucent enamel, two men on horseback meeting one another, a woman standing by the side. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | Maker's mark AM unidentified; Lisbon town mark: 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 were 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. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 144-1879 |
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Record created | February 9, 2004 |
Record URL |
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