The Unsurpassed Silversmithing Techniques of Adam van Vianen: His Silver Ewer Unravelled
Joosje van Bennekom|Ellen Van Bork|Arie Pappot
The magnificent gilded silver ewer Adam van Vianen made in 1614 to commemorate his brother Paulus who had died the previous year Prague, is pinnacle of kwabstijl, and Dutch silversmithing general. execution raising embossing exceptional never seen before. Von Sandrart specifically stated book that whole object out one piece silver. It quite possible applied himself a quest many sculptors undertook Renaissance: making an under most challenging circumstances their area expertise. A traditionally consists body, foot, handle lid with hinge, which are soldered or screwed together. Vianen, however, integrated all these separate parts into dynamic, swirling form, absence clearly separated seems confirm single piece. To determine once for whether sheet, expert team researched aid X-radiography formulated theory as way ewer’s was constructed. research also covered alloy Vianen’s other objects by hand Rijksmuseum’s collection, outlined background available knowledge on Netherlands seventeenth century, products at time. Finally, reconstructions refining were carried using two contemporary sources: Bergbuchlein und Probierbuchlein Calbus Freiberg (and unknown authors), Leipzig 1524, Lazarus Ercker’s Beschreibung: Allerfürnemisten Mineralischen Ertzt, Bergwercks arten … Prague 1574. complete Rijksmuseum laboratories showed very different from alloys used silversmiths same period. surprising outcome could well be connected demands material.
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