Plaque
1685 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This large plaque of the Baptism of Christ was probably intended to form part of a portable altar or house shrine. 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. These were 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.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, embossed and chased |
| Brief description | Plaque depicting The Baptism of Christ, silver, Johann Andreas Thelot, Augsburg, 1685 |
| Physical description | Plaque depicting The Baptism of Christ |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest |
| Object history | This plaque was probably intended to form part of a portable altar or house shrine. Thelot (1655-1874) 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. The print source may be German. A staff has been lost and the sword may be later in date. Acquisition RF: 55/4478A |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This large plaque of the Baptism of Christ was probably intended to form part of a portable altar or house shrine. 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. These were 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. |
| Bibliographic reference | Hildburgh, W. H., “Two Silver Reliefs by John Andreas Thelot” in Bloomsbury Magazine, April 1945 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.470-1956 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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