Antonio Tempesta - Rhinoceros (etching)
Reverse with fixing mount
Antonio Tempesta - Polish horse (etching)
Antonio Tempesta - Fighting rams (etching)
Florentine cabinet of the 17th century. Lazaro Galdiano Museum - Madrid - Spain
Antonio Tempesta (after/ d'après) Italian School, 1555-1630
16.5 x 22.1 cm
Further images
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 1
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 2
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 3
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 4
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 5
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 6
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 7
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 8
)
-
(View a larger image of thumbnail 9
)
These four plaques represent either domestic (a horse, two rams) or exotic animals (a rhinoceros and an elephant). Made on slate slabs cut to shape (a rectangle with concave angles), they are all based on the same narrative scheme: in a frame of Egyptian porphyry, an animal in multicoloured marble is represented advancing on a green marble floor, standing out against a black slate background.
These plates were made in Italy, probably in Florence or in Rome, during the 19th century. We think that their primary purpose was to decorate the drawers of a cabinet, as in this 17th century specimen from the Lazaro Galdiano Museum in Madrid.
Like many other compositions in hard stone, these plaques were inspired by engravings that were a widespread decorative repertoire. Three of the plaques presented here were directly inspired by works by Antonio Tempesta (1555 - 1630): the Rhinoceros, the Polish Horse and the Fighting Rams.