Provenance

Baron Frédéric Spitzer

Austrian, 1815 - 1890

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See all 17 works of art
This is a painting of people and animals in a rich green landscape under a blue sky with one bright star. On the right, under an arch, there is a seated woman with an infant on her lap, one man standing behind her and another kneeling in front of her, a crown on the ground next to him. There are two more men with crowns standing near the kneeling man, both pointing towards the child. The left side shows more people standing and looking at the woman and child, with some mounted on horses. More people are walking down a tall hill on the left, coming towards us. The people are clothed in tunics and cloaks in bright shades of green, blue, and orange-yellow. Most of them have pale yellow skin, although one of the crowned men in front of the woman has brown skin.
Nicola da Urbino, Panel with the Adoration of the Magi, c. 1525, tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica), Widener Collection, 1942.9.341

Panel with the Adoration of the Magi

Nicola da Urbino · c. 1525 · tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) ·  Accession ID  1942.9.341

The sculpture is a small, ornately decorated object with a cylindrical shape and an intricately designed surface. It appears to be a type of decorative vessel or container. The sculpture features a terracotta-orange hue with cream and white detailing. Its structure is composed of vertical panels adorned with patterns, bordered with carved pillars at the corners. The top portion is encircled by a band with a similar pattern. The base includes small feet adorned with green embellishments and decorative elements resembling heads or masks. Crafted from ceramic, the sculpture conveys a sense of delicate craftsmanship amidst a plain background.
French 16th Century, Salt, c. 1540/1560, lead-glazed fine earthenware, Widener Collection, 1942.9.353

Salt

French 16th Century · c. 1540/1560 · lead-glazed fine earthenware ·  Accession ID  1942.9.353

The sculpture is part of a carved wooden table that features intricate human and mythical figures. At the front are carvings of two female torso figures flanking a lion-like face, with additional figures with long wings on the sides. The material is polished wood with a deep brown color highlighting the details. The table is on a sturdy base with scrollwork and floral motifs. The sculpture combines utility with decorative elements reflecting classical and mythical themes.
Italian 16th Century, Walnut Table with Herms and Sphinxes at the Ends, second half 16th century, walnut, oak, beech, and maple, Widener Collection, 1942.9.367

Walnut Table with Herms and Sphinxes at the Ends

Italian 16th Century · second half 16th century · walnut, oak, beech, and maple ·  Accession ID  1942.9.367

Venetian 16th Century, Agnesina Badoer Giustinian, c. 1542, bronze, Widener Collection, 1942.9.146

Agnesina Badoer Giustinian

Venetian 16th Century · c. 1542 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1942.9.146

Leonard Limousin, Round Dish with the Wedding Feast of Cupid and Psyche, c. 1562, enamel painted in grisaille on copper, Widener Collection, 1942.9.293

Round Dish with the Wedding Feast of Cupid and Psyche

Leonard Limousin · c. 1562 · enamel painted in grisaille on copper ·  Accession ID  1942.9.293

This is a painting of a scene with classical figures and architecture on a ceramic plate. The central focus is a pedestal with two statuesque figures, surrounded by multiple human figures engaged in various activities. The background shows architectural structures against a colorful sky. The figures and elements are rendered in a rich color palette with an emphasis on blues, greens, and golden hues, creating a sense of drama and movement typical of Renaissance art. This is in the style of Renaissance Italian maiolica, depicting historical and mythological scenes with intricate detail and vibrant colors.
Francesco Xanto Avelli, Charger with the Massacre of the Innocents, c. 1527/1530, tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica), Corcoran Collection (William A. Clark Collection, 1926), 2014.136.322

Charger with the Massacre of the Innocents

Francesco Xanto Avelli · c. 1527/1530 · tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) ·  Accession ID  2014.136.322

This is a painting of a scene depicted on a decorative plate. The scene shows a group of figures around a tree, with a central figure merging or growing into the tree, surrounded by others in various poses. The style is reminiscent of the mannerist period of art, displaying dynamic figures and dramatic compositions typical of the European Renaissance period. The figures are dressed in flowing garments with a rich and deep color palette dominated by blue, white, and earthy tones. The border of the plate is ornately decorated with intricate floral and vine patterns, as well as small cherubs and other embellishments, all rendered in exquisite detail, and outlined in black and gold. The overall composition suggests a mythological or allegorical subject, common in the decorative arts of the Renaissance.
Anonymous Artist, Oval Dish with the Birth of Adonis, c. 1560, enamel painted on copper, Widener Collection, 1942.9.290

Oval Dish with the Birth of Adonis

Anonymous Artist · c. 1560 · enamel painted on copper ·  Accession ID  1942.9.290

This is a round plate with colorful designs. In the center of the plate is a portrait of a person in profile. They have white skin and long, yellow hair, and they wear orange armor and an orange-and-green helmet. The figure is surrounded by yellow plants against a blue and white sky. The central image is bordered by a geometric and floral pattern in earth tones of terracotta, cream, and green. The rim is adorned with a repeated floral design, red diamonds, and green dots.
Deruta 16th Century, Gubbio 16th Century, Plate with running plant border and geometric panels on well; in the center, profile bust of a man in armor, probably c. 1490/1520, tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica), Widener Collection, 1942.9.328

Plate with running plant border and geometric panels on well; in the center, profile bust of a man in armor

Deruta 16th Century, Gubbio 16th Century · probably c. 1490/1520 · tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) ·  Accession ID  1942.9.328

This is a colorful decorative plate. The central part of the plate displays a blue and white shield with a cross flanked by two cherubic figures on a yellow and green background. Surrounding the central image is a white band, and beyond that is a richly decorated border with floral and abstract designs in blue and white on an orange background. Three smaller shields with crosses are interspersed within this border in yellow circles. Throughout the swirling white and blue designs are several strange faces with features like wings and horns. The design of an open book is also repeated several times.
Faenza 16th Century, Venetian 16th Century, Plate with border of grotesques on an orange ground and three shields of the arms of the Gritti of Venice; in the center, putti holding another shield of the same arms, probably c. 1510/1525, tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica), Widener Collection, 1942.9.314

Plate with border of grotesques on an orange ground and three shields of the arms of the Gritti of Venice; in the center, putti holding another shield of the same arms

Faenza 16th Century, Venetian 16th Century · probably c. 1510/1525 · tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) ·  Accession ID  1942.9.314

This is a painting of a narrative scene on a circular ceramic plate. The plate is decorated with intricate and colorful imagery depicting various figures and animals engaged in different activities. In the foreground, there is a central pedestal with an inscription, surrounded by various characters and animals, including a bovine figure on the left and a variety of other figures interacting with each other, some appearing to be sleeping or in distress. The scene is bustling with activity, with architectural elements and lush greenery in the background.
Urbino 16th Century, Plate with the Plague of Phrygia, c. 1535/1540, tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica), Corcoran Collection (William A. Clark Collection, 1926), 2015.19.4020

Plate with the Plague of Phrygia

Urbino 16th Century · c. 1535/1540 · tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4020

Bibliography

1881

  • Bonnaff, Edmond, Claudius Popelin, Spire Blondel and Alfred Darcel. Gazette des Beaux-Arts 23-25 (April, August, October 1881 and February 1882)

1890

  • Spitzer, Frédéric. La Collection Spitzer. Intro. by Eugène Müntz. 6 vols. Paris, 1890-1892.

1893

  • Catalogue des objets d'art et de haute curiosité composant l'important et précieuse collection Spitzer. Paris, 1893.

1957

  • Coche de la Ferté, Étienne. "Un grand bourgeois amateur au XIXe siècle." L'Oeil 31/32 (Summer 1957): 20-25.

1961

  • Rheims, Maurice. The Strange Life of Objects; 35 Centuries of Art Collecting & Collectors. Trans. from French by David Pryce-Jones. New York, 1961: 27.

  • Seligman, Germain. Merchants of Art. New York, 1961: 14.

1989

  • Musée du Louvre. Les Donateurs du Louvre. Paris, 1989: 326.