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Peter Vischer the Elder

Plaquette
ca. 1515-1530 (made), maybe 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown (maker)
Place of origin
Germany (made)

This is a brass plaquette representing Peter Vischer the Elder. Although medals by Peter Vischer the Elder and Hermann Vischer are amongst the earlist German medals, the date and authorship of this plaquette are uncertain. Weber tentatively ascribes it to Peter Vischer the Younger (1487-1528). On the other hand H. Maué notes that the portrait is taken from Peter Vischer's self-portrait on the St. Sebaldus tomb in St. Sebald, Nuremberg. The 19th century foundry Jakob Daniel Burgschmiet made casts after this figure, and this plaquette could also come from that foundry.

Object details

Categories
Plaques & Plaquettes
Portraits
Object type
Plaquette
TitlePeter Vischer the Elder (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brass; Copper 83.9%, zinc 13.2%, tin 0.8%, Iron and nickel also present.
Brass
Brief description
Plaquette, Peter Vischer the Elder, brass, Germany (Nuremberg), probably ca. 1515-1530
Physical description
Bust of Peter Vischer the Elder facing left, bearded and wearing a close-fitting hat.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.5cm
  • Width: 83.5mm
  • Weight: 155.6g
Object history
Provenance: Tross. 140 medals and reliefs were purchased from M. Henri Tross of Paris for £500 by J.C. Robinson for the Museum in 1867.
Subjects depicted
Bust
Vischer, Peter (The Elder)
Summary
This is a brass plaquette representing Peter Vischer the Elder. Although medals by Peter Vischer the Elder and Hermann Vischer are amongst the earlist German medals, the date and authorship of this plaquette are uncertain. Weber tentatively ascribes it to Peter Vischer the Younger (1487-1528). On the other hand H. Maué notes that the portrait is taken from Peter Vischer's self-portrait on the St. Sebaldus tomb in St. Sebald, Nuremberg. The 19th century foundry Jakob Daniel Burgschmiet made casts after this figure, and this plaquette could also come from that foundry.
Bibliographic references
  • Trusted, Marjorie. German Renaissance Medals: A Catalogue of the Collection in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Victoria & Albert Museum, 1990, p. 110
  • Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1867. Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 21
  • Weber, I. Deutsche, Niederländische, und Französische Renaissance Plaketten. Munich, 1975, I, p. 56, no. 31
  • Maué, H. Review of German Renaissance Medals. The Medal. Spring, 1991, no. 18, p. 108, figs. 7, 8
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
167-1867

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Record createdMarch 3, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O94325/peter-vischer-the-elder-plaquette-unknown/
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