THE CENTRE PROBABLY FRENCH, MID 16TH CENTURY, THE FRAME CIRCA 1880

细节

A JEWELLED AND ENAMELLED GOLD PENDANT OF THE DEATH OF MARCUS CURTIUS
The centre probably French, mid 16th Century, the frame circa 1880
Oval, with applied enamelled central equestrian figure, the horse with cabochon ruby around its neck, between groups of two standing females and three soldiers against a townscape within white and black enamel border with pendant pearl, the reverse with champlevé polychrome flowers and foliage, with suspension chains and ring, the chains joined to a double scroll enamelled and gemset link with pendant pearl
3½ in. (9 cm.) high overall

来源

As lot 1.
Rothschild inv. no. E.de R.633B.

出版

Y. Hackenbroch, Renaissance Jewellery, London, 1979, col. pl. vii, 154a-b and p. 69, fig. 154a-b.
Y. Hackenbroch, Enseignes, Florence, 1996, p. 50, pl. 53.

注意事项

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

拍品专文

The story of Marcus Curtius is derived from Livy. He described how soothsayers in Rome predicted that a chasm in the Roman Forum from which poisonous fumes escaped, could only be closed if Rome's 'greatest treasure' were sacrificed. In order to prove that nothing was more valuable than a brave citizen, Marcus Curtius leapt fully armed and on horseback into the chasm, which closed behind him.

The centre of this pendant appears to be a mid 16th Century enseigne or hat badge, while the mount is unquestionably late 19th Century in origin. Such hat badges originated as French Court jewels and were originally derived from pilgrim badges and military signs sewn, or pinned to, caps or sleeves.

Hackenbroch, 1996, loc. cit., points out the great appeal which this heroic scene would have had for those shouldering political and patriotic responsibility. Certainly the Emperor, Maximillian I, owned an enseigne, or Zaichen with a scene of the hero, which was listed in a posthumous inventory, drawn up on 27 December 1544.