Trompe L’oeil Footed Dish, Faenza, 17th Century

Cerberus Black painted stone Italy, 17th century Measures: 80 x 69 x 36cm (one head missing) Cerberus, cruel monster, fierce and strange, Through his wide threefold throat barks as a dog Over the multitude immers'd beneath. His eyes glare crimson, black his unctuous beard, His belly large, and claw'd the hands, with which He tears the spirits, flays them, and their limbs Piecemeal disparts (Dante, Inferno, Canto VI). Cerberus figure seated, in his role of ferocious guardian of the underworld; he shows a nervous musculature, an adherent skin which reveals the ribs, long and robust limbs; his heads are broad and the eyes set well apart. Painted in black to amplify his menacing look, the infernal guardian is depicted with his famous attributes, writhing his heads, growling and barking furiously. Cerberus, in Greek mythology, was the monstrous watchdog of the underworld – also known as the “hound of Hades” – preventing the dead from leaving, and making sure that those who entered never left. A child of Typhon and Echidna, he was part of a monstrous family, which included Orthus, the Lernaean Hydra, and the Chimaera as well. Only on three occasions Cerberus was tricked by visitors of Hades: Heracles did it with his strength, Orpheus with his music. In "The Inferno", Dante places Cerberus as the guardian of the third circle of Hell. With his three mouths, Dante saw Cerberus as a beast that was synonymous with the sin of Gluttony. Virgil gets past the monster by throwing mud in his three mouths, temporarily choking him. Very rare are the representations of Cerberus in ancient statuary...

Marble lion white marble France, probably Périgord, 17th century Small marble lion wearing a coat of arms pendant with the engraved date, ...

A Captive Soldier Gilt Bronze, Lost Wax Italie (Rome), 17th century H 17 x Dia 10 cm H 6 2/3 x Dia 4 inch The 17th century witnessed a flourishing of artistic expression across Eur...

Italian Memento Mori skull Marble North of Italy, 17th century H 9 x L 7 x P 14 cm At the turn of the 16th century, they were the height of fashi...

The Adoration of the Magi. Panel carved in high relief. Flanders, 17th century. Measures: 53 x 32,5 cm.

A Mughal ivory inlaid wood Cabinet Noord-West Indie 17th century 27 x 40,2 x 30 cm Cites number : 2023/BE00124/CE Of rectangular form with...

17th century Hispano-Moresque lusterware bowl or charger with a central tree of life motif. The tin-glazed lusterware produced at Manises near Valencia, Muel, and Catalonia shows the...

A stunning pair of ceramic Hollywood Regency style candlesticks. Each piece is shaped in a faux ruffle style, giving the look of a ruffled piece of fabric. The middle is glazed in a ...

Dutch Delft large underglaze blue chinoiserie dish, circa 1660-1680. The large circular Dutch Delft chinoiserie dish, after the Chinese tra...

An Aesthetic Movement French Faïence trompe l’oeil asparagus server, Keller & Guerin, Luneville – circa 1890-1900. A scarce example – a fluted edge burgundy colored plate with a “...

From Sarreguemines, France, a very scarce majolica glazed covered tureen, circa 1870. A basket and napkin form covered tureen modeled in the Trompe L’oeil style. The base is molde...

Rare second half 17th century Blue Delftware platter with Chinese kraak style decoration of a garden with 3 Chinese persons. Border decoration in panels. Flower vines in four small p...