Two-handled cup: M.2 & A-1999

Maker(s)

Silversmith: Vianen, Christiaen van (Attributed to)

Entities

• Two-handled cup
• Cover
• porringer
• cover

Categories

• Silver

Description

Silver, raised, embossed, and chased, in auricular style, with cast foot and raised finial in the form of a crouching partly clad man looking to his left

Silver, raised, embossed and chased, with cast foot and raised, hollow finial. The cup stands on a shaped octagonal footring. The rounded sides contract into a short neck and expand into a shaped rim with four rounded lobes separated by four narrow, spout-like lobes. On opposing sides there are ear-shaped handles, each made of two broad serpents, whose heads pass through a monster's head and project to right and left at the top, and whose tails entwine at the lower end. The cover has a shaped edge to match the top of the porringer, and rises up in the centre where there is a crouching possibly defecating, partly clad man, looking to his left. The body is decorated overall with auricular ornament forming grotesque masks: a fish-mask on the front and back, a male mask under each handle and between them, four masks of indeterminate creatures. The cover is decorated with auricular scrolls and masks round its edge, and with four open-mouthed masks below the man. There are traces on the cup and cover of erased arms.

Notes

History note: Possibly acquired by George Hibbert, Esq. (1757-1837), of Munden, Hertfordshire, the celebrated collector, and thence by descent: Christie's, London, 4th November 1998, Fine Silver and Objects of Vertu, catalogue pp. 72-5, lot 123. Sold for £71,900 including premium. Export license withheld.

Legal notes

Purchased with the H.S.Reitlinger Fund and grants from the National Art Collections Fund, and the MGC\V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

Place(s) associated

• London ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1999) by Christie's

Dating

Third quarter of 17th century
Charles II
Circa 1660 CE - 1667 CE

Note

Attributed to the London workshop of Christian Van Vianen (c.1600-67).

School or Style

Auricular