ENGRAVED SILVER CUP, \'POKAL\' GERMANY. 19TH CENTURY

German silver cup. XIX century It is made entirely of silver, and decorated with relief motifs, a round shape, engravings and chiseling. It is directly inspired by similar pieces made in 16th century Germany, in full Mannerism. This is due to the importance that Germanic silversmithing had in that century; German and Central European craftsmen in general created exquisite pieces for collectors' cabinets designed to be displayed and not used, the greatest example of virtuosity and ornamental richness of Mannerist silversmithing. One of the most recognizable typologies of Germanic Mannerist silverware will be this type of tall cup, with a cylindrical container with a differentiated subcup and a large lid. These are functional or ornamental glasses, depending on the richness and abundance of their decoration. This decorative profusion, combining all types of motifs, is key in Mannerist silversmithing, and went so far as to replace parts of the structure with decorative motifs, as we see here in the shaft, composed of a vase, and the knob, with the round figure of a young classical warrior. The main motif of this design is the raised gallons, which take the shape of oval recesses and are separated by baquetones with parallel transverse lines. We see them in the subcup, the boza and the lid, although they also appear on the foot, although simplified, without recesses or baquetones. The piece stands on a circular foot with a flat and smooth base, with two domed steps profusely decorated: gadroons above and intertwined braces, with flowers and classic masks below, typical motifs of the Mannerist ornamental background. The shaft, as we have mentioned, takes the shape of a balustraded vase adorned with large braces like ribs, topped by bird heads. The container has a cylindrical shape, with a highly relief cup, adorned with herms in relief, again a typical motif of Mannerist silverwork. The upper part, under the mouth, also extends outwards, although its gallon decoration is simple enough not to overshadow the delicate and meticulous embossed and chiseled engraving of the central area. In it we see two oval cartouches that house representations of two gods from classical mythology: Bacchus, serving wine in a glass against a background of a landscape with houses, and Mercury, running in a forested landscape. Between both cartouches are classical masks of great ornamental richness. Finally, the lid is domed, with a curly perimeter and a stepped structure. The pommel is sculptural and represents a classical young warrior, perhaps the god Mars. Weight: 1742 gr. (It has a counterweight on the base)

· Size: 10x10x33 cms.