Amphora supported by Nereids (wedding vase?). Venetian art, 16th-17th century. Bronze with a transparent reddish patina over black traces.

27 x 10 x 8 cm

The central body of this beautiful composition includes an amphora vase supported by three nereids separated by shell valves and a bouquet of leaves and fruit.

The vase's refined high-relief decoration features garlands supported by rings. Between each festoon, held up by ribbons tied to rings, are two mixtilinear tables bearing two monograms. On the first (COS), on the second (DO).

The top of the vase features small grotesque masks. Two lion heads hang from the vase, tied with ribbons. The bottoms are textured with an orange peel effect.

This unusual bronze features truly high-quality finishes. Extremely smooth areas and meticulously chiseled details. A very pleasing transparent reddish patina. Orange-peel backgrounds in the finest Venetian tradition.

In the imaginative composition nothing is left to chance and the various elements are perfectly balanced.

To find something similar I think of the central part of the two andirons in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, attributed by Charles Avery to Giuseppe de Levis (signatures from 1577 to 1605).

The central shaft is composed of a vase decorated with festoons and various half-length female figures supporting it. In particular, the circle of bare-breasted harpies wearing Phrygian hats, typical of de Levis, is very similar to ours.

Since two monograms are shown in the tables, we can assume that our object is the result of a marital union, but obviously we have no proof of this.

A little mystery to solve.

Bibliography:
Charles Avery, Joseph De Levis & Company, Philip Wilson Publishers, London-New York, 2016, fig. 94 and col.22-23.