Study of a ceremonial banquet display
c1690. Pen and brown ink on cream laid paper, 3 x 8 inches (76 x 230 mm), the full sheet. In good condition with some edge wear and losses at all but the lower right corner. Adhered to a 19th century laid paper matrix at the corners.
During Medici festivals it was common to have a credenza—a massive, tiered sideboard displaying hundreds of pieces of silver and gold plate to signal the wealth of the family to visiting dignitaries. These objects are piled together in a "horror vacui" style (filling all available space), which suggests that they are either meant to be seen as a pile of "spoils" or riches on a parade float. This image may also be a pattern sheet for an engraver.
Item number: 2500
Price: $400.00
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