BRONZE INKWELL. SPAN, 17TH CENTURY.

Bronze inkwell. Spain, 17th century. Inkwell made of octagonal bronze with eight small holes and one larger one in the center of the upper part that has a flat base and a decoration on its fronts based on moldings of different shapes and widths, all smooth and leaving areas flat in the center of the piece. Around that central gap it has an accent of moldings, in a similar combination to the one mentioned. Typologically, the most common shape of inkwell in Baroque Spain was the square one, and they were made of bronze, ceramic, etc. The polygonal shape, although also relatively common and apparently more so in the 18th century, is less common. Compare, for example, with the polygonal ceramic inkwell from Talavera de la Reina dated to the 17th century found in the National Museum of Decorative Arts (Madrid), or with the bronze one with an octagonal lid dated to the 19th century. from the same institution, with several ceramics and different origins from the 18th century (same museum), etc. Above all, it is necessary to remember, due to its similarity to the present piece, the polygonal inkwell with six holes made of bronze and dated to the 17th century that is in the Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes (Alcalá de Henares, Madrid). Likewise, it is possible to see the use of pieces of this type in paintings such as San Gregorio Magno by Fray Juan Andrés Rizi dated 1681 (Prado Museum in Madrid). Weight: 1,701 kg.

· Size: 18,5x18,5x8 cms