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A ‘splendid and probably Unique Pebble’: the ‘Benetier de Charlemagne’

06/2012 | 1311 | 154

Pages: 388-393

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related names

Reviewer:

Hall, Michael (Hall, Michael)

Subjects

collectors and dealers:

Hamilton, Alexander, Tenth Duke of Hamilton, 1767-1852 / Philip II, King of Spain, 1527-1598

dates:

0940-0949 / 0950-0959 / 0960-0969

dates:

1550-1599

museums and institutions:

National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

print:

Bowls

subjects:

Art objects / Religious art / Collections, Public / Acquisitions / Monstrances / Bowls / Rock crystals / Chalices / Byzantine art

subjects:

Loan of works of art

subjects:

Provenance

subjects:

Iconography

Illustrations

Attributed works:

6. Detail of the base of St Lawrence trampling the heretic king, by Francesco Alfieri. Trapani, Sicily, mid-sixteenth century. Coral, gilt-bronze and enamel, diameter approx. 14 cm. (San Lorenzo, El Escorial).

Western art unattributed:

1. The Benetier of Charlemagne. Sardonyx bowl. Byzantine mid-tenth century, mounted on a gold and enamel monstrance foot, Spanish or Italian, before 1571, 23.2 by 26.1 cm. (Private collection; on loan to the National Museums of Scotland).

Western art unattributed:

2. Detail of the sardonyx bowl in Fig.1.

Western art unattributed:

3. The Chalice of the Emperor Charles IV. Sardonyx bowl. Byzantine, mid-tenth century, mounted in Germany in 1350. Gold, enamel and pearls, 21.2 by 14.8 cm. (Treasury of St Vitus Cathedral, Prague).

Western art unattributed:

4. The Chalice of the Emperor Romanos I. Byzantine, before 944. Sardonyx, gold, enamel and pearls, 23.7 by 18.1 cm. (Treasury, St Mark’s, Venice).

Western art unattributed:

5. Detail of the gold and enamel mount in Fig.1.

Western art unattributed:

7. Photograph of the Red Room, Halton, Buckinghamshire. 1884. (Private collection).

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