The Victoria and Albert Museum contains an exquisite little silver vase, found in the baths of Apollo at Vicarello in Italy (fig. 7), enriched with a band in low relief of storks devouring serpents executed with gem-like minuteness and finish—probably not later than the 3rd century B.C. The British Museum has a little vase of similar form and almost equal beauty, though perhaps later in date; it is decorated with bands of vine branches in a graceful flowing pattern, and is partly gilt.
.jpg)
|
|
Fig. 7.—Greek Silver Vase, 5 in. high, c. 3rd century B.C. The ornamental band is shown below in plano. (Victoria and Albert Museum.) |
Graeco-Roman Plate.—During the last century of the Republic the growing luxury and ostentation of the wealthy Romans found expression in the collection of elaborate specimens of plate.
The works of the old Greek
masters were the most highly
prized, but contemporary artists,
such as Pasiteles, also attained
distinction in this branch of
art. Amongst the numerous
finds of silver plate made in
modern times we may distinguish
(a) temple treasures made of up of votive offerings, such as the
treasure of Bernay in France (dep. Eure), discovered in 1830
and preserved in the Cabinet des Médailles, which belonged to
the shrine of Mercurius Canetonnensis; (b) private collections.
The most famous of these are the Hildesheim treasure, in the
Berlin Museum, discovered in 1869, which has been thought
(without adequate reason) to have formed part of the
campaigning equipment of a Roman military commander,
and the Bosco Reale treasure, found in 1895 in a villa near
Pompeii, whence its owner was endeavouring to remove it
when buried by the eruption of Vesuvius. These collections
contain pieces of various dates. The Bernay treasure, in part
belonging to the 2nd century A.D., contains oenochoai (ewers)
with mythological subjects in relief inspired by classical Greek
models—the theft of the Palladium was the subject of a
famous cup of Pytheas, mentioned by Pliny—which must
belong to the early imperial period. The Hildesheim treasure,
again, contains two barbaric vases, without feet or handles,
together with such fine pieces as the crater figured (fig. 8),
whose decoration recalls that of the Ara Pacis Augustae
(see Roman Art), and a cylix with a seated figure of
Athena in high relief, soldered on to the centre of the
bowl, which appears to be of Greek workmanship. Such
detachable figures were termed emblemata; in the Bosco
Reale treasure is a cup with such a bust, typifying the province
of Africa. Great value was also set upon crustae, i.e. bands
of repoussé work forming an outer covering to a smooth silver
cup (cf. the Rothschild vases, Roman Art). Such works
commonly have Latin inscriptions incised on the foot giving
the weight of the piece, the cup and emblema being weighed
separately. The artistic value of Roman plate is discussed
under Roman Art.
Fig. 8.—Silver Crater, 15½ in. high, from the Hildesheim find. (Berlin Museum.)
Among later specimens of Roman plate the most remarkable is the gold patera, nearly 10 in. in diameter, found at Rennes in 1777, and now in the Paris Bibliothèque—a work of the most marvellous delicacy and high finish—almost gem-like in its minuteness of detail. Though not earlier than about 210 A.D., a slight clumsiness in the proportion of its embossed figures is the only visible sign of decadence. The outer rim is set with sixteen fine gold coins—aurei of various members of the Antonine family from Hadrian to Geta. The central emblema or medallion represents the drinking contest between Bacchus and Hercules, and round this medallion is a band of repoussé figures showing the triumphal procession of Bacchus after winning the contest. He sits triumphant in his leopard-drawn car, while Hercules is led along, helplessly intoxicated, supported by bacchanals. A long line of nymphs, fauns and satyrs complete the circular band.
Fig. 9.—Shield of Theodosius.
Late Roman plate is also represented by a series of large silver dishes, to which the name missorium is often, though perhaps wrongly, applied. These were used for presentations by emperors (whose portraits they sometimes bear) and distinguished officials. Three are preserved in the Cabinet des Médailles of the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris—the “shield of Scipio,” found in the Rhone near Avignon, about 26 in. in diameter, with a relief representing the restoration of Briseis to Achilles;[1] the, “shield of Hannibal,”[2] chiefly remarkable for its size (it is 72 cms. in diameter and weighs 10 kilogrammes); and a third, decorated with a group of Hercules and the Nemean lion.[3] Other well-known examples of this form of art are the
