拍品 33
33
AN AUGSBURG EBONY AND SILVER TRAVELLING TABLE CABINET, in the manner of Matthias Walbaum, of rectangular form, the plain outside decorated with pierced silver corner-mounts and swing handles, the hinged fall-front inlaid on the inside with snakewood and fruitwood in geometric designs, revealing a richly decorated architectural facade, elaborate brackets framing niches and drawers, the smaller drawers decorated with applied silver scrolling strapwork, silver-gilt flowers and lion head handles, the larger drawers fronted by niches enclosing a series of standing silver figures of mythological gods and Christian Virtues, and applied silver reliefs, the reliefs telling the story of the incestuous affair of Myrrha and King Cinyras, the subsequent Birth of Adonis, Venus and Adonis, and the Death of Adonis, the central door with lock and key and opening to reveal incised copper-gilt hinges, the interior inlaid with contrasting wood panels and banding, a longer drawer below, also with lock and key (some later additions), early 17th Century

細節
AN AUGSBURG EBONY AND SILVER TRAVELLING TABLE CABINET, in the manner of Matthias Walbaum, of rectangular form, the plain outside decorated with pierced silver corner-mounts and swing handles, the hinged fall-front inlaid on the inside with snakewood and fruitwood in geometric designs, revealing a richly decorated architectural facade, elaborate brackets framing niches and drawers, the smaller drawers decorated with applied silver scrolling strapwork, silver-gilt flowers and lion head handles, the larger drawers fronted by niches enclosing a series of standing silver figures of mythological gods and Christian Virtues, and applied silver reliefs, the reliefs telling the story of the incestuous affair of Myrrha and King Cinyras, the subsequent Birth of Adonis, Venus and Adonis, and the Death of Adonis, the central door with lock and key and opening to reveal incised copper-gilt hinges, the interior inlaid with contrasting wood panels and banding, a longer drawer below, also with lock and key (some later additions), early 17th Century
18 7/8 x 25 1/8in. (47.9 x 63.8cm.)
出版
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
H. Kreisel, Die Kunst des Deutsches Möbels, Munich, 1968, I, p. 105, no. 243
R. Löwe, Die Augsburger Goldschmiedewerkstatt des Matthias Walbaum, Munich, 1975, nos. 35-38, 54, 67 and 97a

拍品專文

The richly chiselled silver reliefs and figures in the present cabinet show close similarities in execution and design to the work of the Augsburg goldsmith Matthias Walbaum (1554-1632). The illusion of depth achieved by his use of pierced and highly worked reliefs set into ebony or pearwood niches is represented by several house altars and caskets in public and private collections (Löwe op.cit.).
The elaborate and recherché myth telling of Myrrha's and Venus's loves indicates a strong theme of love, which in turn may signify that this was a marriage cabinet.