|
|
|
|
TEFAF 2011 |
|
March 18 - 27, 2011
MECC Maastricht, The Netherlands |
|
exhibition |
|
|
|
|
|
Magnifier |
on
off |
 |
|
Germany, Saxony. Leipzig. Maurice, Duke and Elector. 1541-1547-1553. Trinity Medal or “Moritz-Pfennig” (Silver, 103mm, 271.78 g 12), Leipzig, by Hans Reinhart the Elder (c. 1510-1581), January 1544. PROPTER SCELVS POPVLI MEI PERCVSSI EVM ESAIAE LIII(=I have smitten him for my people’s transgression - Isaiah 53) God the Father seated facing on a richly ornamented throne with clouds below, wearing Imperial crown, an embroidered and bejeweled cope and shoes ornamented with jewels, his hair and beard shown in high relief twists; his hands, resting on a crucifix standing between his legs, hold a globus cruciger, in his left, and a scepter, in his right; before him, Christ on the Cross surmounted by the dove of the Holy Spirit with spread wings; at the foot of the cross, inscribed signature, H R; to left and right, standing on clouds, angel praying; above, heads of cherubim of varying sizes.
Rev. REGNANTE MAVRITIO D G DVCE SAXONIAE ZC GROSSVM HVNC LIPSIAE H R CVDEBAT AN°MDXLIIII MENSE IANV (= in the reign of Maurice, by the grace of God, Duke of Saxony etc., Hans Reinhart cast this medal in Leipzig in the month of January, 1544) Two angels, on left and right, standing on clouds and supporting a large tablet surmounted by a shield of Saxony and bearing an excerpt of the Athanasian Creed followed by an unidentified prayer to the Trinity. Below, on edge, an old, incised collection inventory number, 6.2.Z.W.o.6.. Currency of Fame, 127. Habich 1962 and pls. 207, 1 and 209, 1. A remarkably fine piece, beautifully cast and chased and of the highest quality. The cross, the figure of Christ and the Dove of the Holy Spirit are all cast separately and attached. Scepter slightly bent, otherwise, a lovely piece and extremely fine.
From the collection of J. R. Gaines, Morton & Eden, 8 December 2005, 42, acquired from Alain Moatti, Paris.
This is certainly Reinhart’s greatest medal, as well as being one of the most important of all medals made during the German Renaissance. The medal was created in an attempt at reconciliation between the Protestants (Maurice of Saxony, who must have commissioned this medal, converted in 1539) and the Catholics: the Athanasian Creed was accepted by both churches and Maurice apparently thought he could bridge the gap. The medal itself was very popular and it was reissued in 1556, 1561, 1569 and 1574 (the last three in the name of Maurice’s brother and successor, August who ruled 1553-1586); however, all of those issues are of lesser quality since most were not finished by the artist himself. Reinhart was a great medalist, and an innovative one, but he only produced medals over a relatively short period (1535-1544), with this being his final work (save for his later versions of this medal). He was originally a wood worker, producing sculpture and furniture, and this may explain why he was refused entry into the gold- and silversmiths guild in Leipzig after he moved there in 1539 (he was forced to pass a 5 year apprenticeship course, doing so in 1547). For his medals his specialty was the post-cast soldering of three-dimensional details onto the original casting, a technique in which he was a great and unsurpassed master: on this medal the crucifix, the dove of the Holy Spirit and the locks of God’s hair were all added after the initial casting. No other artist of his time attempted to equal Reinhart’s virtuoso creativity. After producing this astounding work Reinhart seems to have confined himself to goldsmithing and made no further medals. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|