ANTIQUITIES

Aquamanile in the Form of a Bearded Man

Southern Germany (Franconia), probably Nuremberg, dated 1617

Cast bronze aquamanile formed as a stylised bearded male figure standing on four paw-like feet. The vessel is surmounted by a hinged lid with circular filling aperture; the handle rises from the back of the head. The body engraved with a banded cartouche bearing the inscription DEVS ET LVMEN (“God and Light”), surmounted by a cross, and dated MDCXVII.

The bronze displays a deep, naturally developed patina with areas of verdigris, including within the interior cavity, consistent with long-term use. The interior shows irregular hand-worked file and scraper marks associated with clay-core casting. The hinged lid and knuckles are hand-finished and integral to the casting. Minor wear, casting irregularities, and surface abrasions consistent with age and use.

Aquamanilia of this type were used for ceremonial hand-washing in ecclesiastical and elite domestic contexts. While animal forms predominate in medieval examples, figural aquamanilia are known in South German metalwork of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. The inscription and date suggest a Lutheran devotional context, compatible with production in Nuremberg or its sphere, a major centre for bronze casting in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Condition: Complete; minor wear and surface abrasion consistent with age.
Provenance: Private collection.

Dimensions
22.2 cms High (8.75 inches)
8.9 cms Diameter (3.5 inches)

Stock No.: 1649
£695

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