Antique European Filigree: Giovanni Battiste Metellino (c.1675 - 1715)

The Silver Gilt Filigree Mounted Rock Crystal Bucket.

Giovanni Battiste Metellino (d.1725)

Louvre, Paris.

(Post in preparation).

So far I have only touched on 17th Century Italian Filigree - I will attempt a very limited survey of the masterworks in this post.

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Metellino working in Milan (last quarter of the 17th Century - 1715).

see also the Milanese Saracchi Workshop.

https://www.museodelprado.es/aprende/enciclopedia/voz/coleccion-del-tesoro-del-delfin/923a4d86-bd5f-47e9-a48f-3e94eb2b814c?searchMeta=metellino

Engraved Rock Crystal with Silver Gilt Filigree Mounts.

https://art.rmngp.fr/en/library/artworks/giovanni-battista-attribue-metellino_seau_dore_argent-metal_grave_dorure_filigrane-or_gemme_cristal-de-roche

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17th Century Rock Crystal Bucket with Silver Gilt Filigree Mounts.

Gruners Gewolbe, Dresden.

SKD Dresden.

H. 11,7 cm, B 10,5 cm, T 10,0 cms.

Te Both the cut and the setting show the vessel to be a relatively early work by Metellino from around 1685. Very similar to this is a piece in the Louvre (MR 308), described as 'un autre vaze rond, en forme de seau à seize pams', which belonged to the collection of King Louis XIV of France.

Inventory No.V 323.

https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/219043

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17th/ 18th Century Rock Crystal vase with Silver Gilt Filigree Mounts.

(Attrib. Metellino).

Grunes Gewolbe, Dresden.

Inv. No 194.

Highest resolution photographs available at present.

H 20.3 cm, W 29.0 cm, D 16.4 cms.

https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/218938

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Carved Rock Crystal Bowl surmounted by a Carved Rock Crystal Dolphin

With Silver Gilt Filigree Mount.

Metallino.

H 33.1 cm, W 26.7 cm, D 23.8 cm, Base: W 19.5 cm, D 17.8 cms

King Louis XIV of France, his son and Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I and, from 1697 as Augustus II, also King of Poland, were among the princely customers of Milan artist Giovanni Battista Metellino. In addition to the Prado in Madrid and the Louvre in Paris, the Green Vault also has an exquisite collection of rock crystal creations by Metellino.

His heirs offered the magnificent bowl shown here with a drawing dated June 12, 1724 (see Kupferstichkabinett Dresden, inv. no. C 1968-128) for sale. As "ultimo prezo" 200 gold ducats were demanded. Apparently, August the Strong acquired the vessel without hesitation, because it appears in the Green Vault's inventory of valuables as early as 1725.

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Authors note - there are some very obvious differences with this drawing and the bowl above - the tail of the dolphin is on the opposite side and the stones are mounted differently.