Plaque from a cabinet, Johann Andreas Thelot, Augsburg, 1684

Octagonal plaque with heavily embossed scene possibly of the Triumph of John Sobieski

Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest

The Turkish trophies on the right have prompted the suggestion that it is that of John III (Sobrieski) of Poland after the relief of Vienna from the Turks in 1683, (questioned by Oman in German Domestic Silver 1618-1700 (1967), but the initials SPQR on the banners suggest a Roman scene. Thelot is one of the few goldsmiths to have designed as well as executed his plaques (this one is signed `inv. et fec.', or invented and made). A drawing of a Triumph with an imperial couple, elaborate architecture and trophies by Thelot was destroyed by a bomb in World War II.

Thelot (1655-1734) was one of the most celebrated 18th-century goldsmiths. Despite his French name (his family came from Dijon), Thelot was the son of an Augsburg goldsmith, and spent his working life in his home city, a European centre of goldsmithing. He was also a copperplate engraver for printing, but his specialism was chasing, in particular pictorial reliefs such as those shown here, designed to be incorporated into large display salvers or to be mounted into furniture or portable altars.
Such high relief, sculptural chasing combined with delicate detail requires consumate technical skill. The design is pricked out on the surface of flat sheet, then the sheet turned over and the basic pattern hammered out from the back. The detail is worked in from the front using a variety of hammers and punches, with the sheet resting on pitch to hold it steady. Inevitably, the pitch worked its way into the deeper cavities, and still remains in places.

TS: depicts a classical battle scene. Note inscribed at bottom left: ‘inv et fec ..’ - invented (i.e. designed) and made by Thelot so possibly not from a print source.

Acquisition RF: 55/4478A

This plaque was probably made to decorate a cabinet and depicts a Roman triumph with an emperor and victorius general seated in a chariot with the captured standards of the defeated enemy carried by the soldiers on the right. It is inscribed at the base: 'TANDEM BONA CAVSA TRIVMPHAT' (at last the good cause triumphs) and it has been suggested that the true subject of the scene is John Paul Sobieski, King of Poland, who helped defeat the Turks at Vienna in 1683. Unlike many plaques of the period, this one is signed 'inv[enit] et fec[it]', indicating that it was both designed and made by the goldsmith.

Johann Andreas Thelot (1655-1734) was one of the most celebrated 18th-century goldsmiths. Despite his French name (his family came from Dijon), Thelot was the son of an Augsburg goldsmith, and spent his working life in his home city, a European centre of goldsmithing. He was also a copperplate engraver for printing, but his specialism was chasing, in particular pictorial reliefs such as those shown here, designed to be incorporated into large display salvers or to be mounted into furniture or portable altars.

Such high relief, sculptural chasing combined with delicate detail requires consumate technical skill. The design is pricked out on the surface of flat sheet, then the sheet turned over and the basic pattern hammered out from the back. The detail is worked in from the front using a variety of hammers and punches, with the sheet resting on pitch to hold it steady. Inevitably, the pitch worked its way into the deeper cavities, and still remains in places.

M.248-1956