Ewer with Wildman Finial
These ewers have long been thought to be the pair mentioned in the 1526 and 1585 inventories of the Teutonic Knights. Both are unmarked, and the attribution to Nuremberg is based on stylistic comparisons, such as that of the small cast figures against the buttresses to similar examples by the Nuremberg goldsmith Sebastian Lindenast the Elder. The enameled and painted wild men, reminiscent of those in Albrecht Dürer's compositions, are heraldic supporters but may also be understood as symbols of virility and procreation.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ewer with Wildman Finial
- Date: late 15th century
- Geography: Made in probably Nuremberg, Germany
- Culture: German
- Medium: Silver gilt, enamel, and paint
- Dimensions: 25 × 8 1/4 in., 6.8 lb. (63.5 × 21 cm, 3.1 kg)
- Classification: Metalwork-Silver
- Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1953
- Object Number: 53.20.1
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters
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German
ca. 1400
German
1440–46
South German
ca. 1475–85
German
ca. 1465
German
early 15th century
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