拍品專文
The composition and quality of the carving as well as the expressiveness of the figures all indicate that the ivory work is by a leading carver. The two possible contenders are Georg Petel (1601/02-1634) and Bernard Strauss (worked 1651-1681). They can be compared from a stylistic point-of-view.
The iconography illustrates a typical scene of the Mannerism and Baroque period where a mythological legend is conveniently altered. This can be observed on the mantle where the scene represents an unusual version of the judgement of Pâris.
Hermes is sent by Zeus to command Pâris to select the most attractive of the three goddesses, and, in this case, Diana is unexpectedly chosen rather than Venus. On the figure, one can see Pallas Athena with Hermes trying to persuade Pâris to make his choice whilst Zeus is introducing an exquisitely dressed lady, possibly Hera, to Diana. Herakles and Poseidon observe from the background. The beautifully designed dress of the lady and the postures of the other figures are very close to the engravings by Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617) or Jan Muller, Jan Saenedan, Cornelius Massiy, J. der Ghey II and others. It is clear that the Diana figure on the cover is carved by the same hand.
George Petel is certainly the most outstanding German sculptor of the first half of the 17th century. Born in 1601 at Weilheim, he was taught by his father, a talented sculptor himself, and by Bartlmä Steinle. He met Christoph Angermais in Munich and then visited Rome (1620-1622), Genoa (1623-1624) and Antwerp in 1624. He finally moved on to Augsburg in 1625 where he stayeduntil his death in 1634. Petel was a personal friend of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck; he often worked in collaboration with them. The strength of his figures, the expression of the faces and his way of carving feet and hands particularly reflects his style.
The best ivory carver of the next generation in Augsburg was Bernhard Strauss whose works appear from 1640 to 1681. He could also be the artist to whom this tankard mantle could be attributed. Joachim von Sandrart, the celebrated biographer of artists, mentioned him in his book published in 1675. Strauss's work can be recognised by the postures and the facial expressions of his figures.
Signed works of these artists can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich.
Presumably, the carving is indeed by Georg Petel. The silversmith Adolf Gaap remounted that piece in the third quarter of the 17th century.
Information concerning both artists can be obtained from the following bibliography:
- Ch. Scherer, Elfenbeinplastik seit der Renaissance, Leipzig, 1905
- Ch. Scherer, Der Augsburger Goldschmied Bernhard Strauss, in Kunstwanderer 1919/1920, p. 463
- R. Berliner, Die Bildwerke in Elfenbein, Augsburg, 1927, p. 57
- M.H. Longhurst, Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory, V. and A., London, 1929, p. 96
- M.H. Longhurst, Fifty Masterpieces of Sculpture, V. and A., London, 1951, nr 34
- K. Feuchtmayr, Jörg Petel und seine Kruzifixe, in Das Münster 3, 1950
- Th. Müller und A. Schädler, Katalog der Ausstellung, Georg Petel 1601-1634, Munich, 1964
- Ch. Teuerkauff, Studien zur Elfenbein-Plastik des Barock, Matthias Rauchmüller und Ignaz Elhofer, Diss, Freiburg, 1964, p. 25, 50
- K. Arndt, Studien zu Georg Petel, in Jahrbuch der Berliner Museen, NF 9, 1967, p. 181
- A. Schädler, Katalog der Ausstellung, Augsburger Barock, Augsburg, 1968, p. 82-93.
The iconography illustrates a typical scene of the Mannerism and Baroque period where a mythological legend is conveniently altered. This can be observed on the mantle where the scene represents an unusual version of the judgement of Pâris.
Hermes is sent by Zeus to command Pâris to select the most attractive of the three goddesses, and, in this case, Diana is unexpectedly chosen rather than Venus. On the figure, one can see Pallas Athena with Hermes trying to persuade Pâris to make his choice whilst Zeus is introducing an exquisitely dressed lady, possibly Hera, to Diana. Herakles and Poseidon observe from the background. The beautifully designed dress of the lady and the postures of the other figures are very close to the engravings by Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617) or Jan Muller, Jan Saenedan, Cornelius Massiy, J. der Ghey II and others. It is clear that the Diana figure on the cover is carved by the same hand.
George Petel is certainly the most outstanding German sculptor of the first half of the 17th century. Born in 1601 at Weilheim, he was taught by his father, a talented sculptor himself, and by Bartlmä Steinle. He met Christoph Angermais in Munich and then visited Rome (1620-1622), Genoa (1623-1624) and Antwerp in 1624. He finally moved on to Augsburg in 1625 where he stayeduntil his death in 1634. Petel was a personal friend of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck; he often worked in collaboration with them. The strength of his figures, the expression of the faces and his way of carving feet and hands particularly reflects his style.
The best ivory carver of the next generation in Augsburg was Bernhard Strauss whose works appear from 1640 to 1681. He could also be the artist to whom this tankard mantle could be attributed. Joachim von Sandrart, the celebrated biographer of artists, mentioned him in his book published in 1675. Strauss's work can be recognised by the postures and the facial expressions of his figures.
Signed works of these artists can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich.
Presumably, the carving is indeed by Georg Petel. The silversmith Adolf Gaap remounted that piece in the third quarter of the 17th century.
Information concerning both artists can be obtained from the following bibliography:
- Ch. Scherer, Elfenbeinplastik seit der Renaissance, Leipzig, 1905
- Ch. Scherer, Der Augsburger Goldschmied Bernhard Strauss, in Kunstwanderer 1919/1920, p. 463
- R. Berliner, Die Bildwerke in Elfenbein, Augsburg, 1927, p. 57
- M.H. Longhurst, Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory, V. and A., London, 1929, p. 96
- M.H. Longhurst, Fifty Masterpieces of Sculpture, V. and A., London, 1951, nr 34
- K. Feuchtmayr, Jörg Petel und seine Kruzifixe, in Das Münster 3, 1950
- Th. Müller und A. Schädler, Katalog der Ausstellung, Georg Petel 1601-1634, Munich, 1964
- Ch. Teuerkauff, Studien zur Elfenbein-Plastik des Barock, Matthias Rauchmüller und Ignaz Elhofer, Diss, Freiburg, 1964, p. 25, 50
- K. Arndt, Studien zu Georg Petel, in Jahrbuch der Berliner Museen, NF 9, 1967, p. 181
- A. Schädler, Katalog der Ausstellung, Augsburger Barock, Augsburg, 1968, p. 82-93.