Italy, 1550–1600 - Lot 515

Italy, 1550–1600 Gilded leather border This antique border, characteristic of the Renaissance, features architectural motifs in its design. The various parts of a facade are recognizable in it. In keeping with the principle of Varietas, this design alternates between pilasters on plinths and large columns with Tuscan capitals. Between them stand a naked man and a naked woman, each balancing on one leg. Their nudity and the fruit surrounding them evoke paradise. The spaces between them are adorned with grotesque motifs consisting of two superimposed masks: the lower one is set within a scroll-adorned cartouche embellished with stylized floral motifs, while the upper one depicts a bearded head. The tectonic structure is topped by a Doric triglyph. The motif stands out in gold against a dark green background. 25.5 x 52 cm (minor imperfections, restorations on the back) Provenance: Van Herck Collection, Antwerp Present location: Private collection, Hamburg Included is a book on Important Gilded Leather Wall Hangings, 1550–1900, Kunsthandel Glass, Essen, 1998, in which the framed wall hanging appears on pages 42 and 43