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19th-century Carved, Painted and Gilt tortoise shell, 'the Cosmic Turtle'
$56,744.62
£42,722.97
€48,000
CA$78,316.09
A$87,731.33
CHF 45,631.19
MX$1,070,141.21
NOK 580,945.79
SEK 547,790.48
DKK 365,424.04
About the Item
A highly unusual carved painted, gilt and gem-set tortoise carapace resembling the mythical Cosmic or World-bearing Turtle
Probably Germany, late 19th century
L. 32 x W. 26 x H. 20 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Munich
Following the natural forms of the carapace, the artist carved medals all around and painted a surprising portrait gallery depicting the different peoples of the world, amongst them Maori, Sinhalese, Chinese, Tartars, Papuans American Indigenous, Inuit, Persians, Europeans and many more. On the upper part of the shell, coats-of-arms belonging to China, The United States, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, and Persia. Furthermore, the shell is decorated with miniature copies of famous Romantic paintings, and images of nature and men and with geometric patterns in polychrome and gold. An approximate globe map sits on the final, slightly rounded part of the shell.
In 19th century Germany, the Romantic wholesome idea of the mythical World-bearing turtle, appropriated from American Indigenous, Chinese and Hindu Mythology, was still very alive and an attractive thought. In the Wunderkammer, the criteria which governed the selection of objects, rarity and strangeness served to blur the boundaries and create a direct synthesis between the three kingdoms of ‘Exotica’, ‘naturalia’ and ‘artificialia’. As a whole, this meticulously decorated carapace is a formidable example of everything above.
- Dimensions:Height: 7.88 in (20 cm)Width: 10.24 in (26 cm)Depth: 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1870-1890
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Amsterdam, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5458231459712
About the Seller
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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