A Russian Usol'sk Enamel Gilt Silver Bowl, Chasha. Solvychegodsk, late 17th century, and likely 1650-1670. 5-1/8...

Description

A Russian Usol'sk Enamel Gilt Silver Bowl, Chasha
Solvychegodsk, late 17th century, and likely 1650-1670
5-1/8 x 1-3/4 inches (13.0 x 4.4 cm)

PROVENANCE:
Property of a New York Family.

LITERATURE:
For related works, see Odom, Anne, Russian Enamels, Phillip Wilson: London, 1996, pp.40-45. A comparable example is also illustrated Bobrovnitskaia, I.A., РУССКАЯ РАСПИСНАЯ ЭМАЛЬ КОНЦА XVII - НАЧАЛА XVIII ВЕКА (Moscow 2001) 111-118: cat. 72-78.


This unusual work illustrates episodes from the Gospel of Luke, namely that of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7, see also Matthew 18:12-14), the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), the welcoming of neighbors (Luke 10:25-37, see also Matthew 25:31-40) and the "mote" in a brother's eye (Luke 6:41-42, see also Matthew 7:3-5). The texts (written to the left side of each cartouche) are not strictly following the Slavic Gospel but rather constitute comments or explanatory notes. In each of the images, one sees an illustration of the speech of the central character in the biblical story: "Behold, I have found the lost sheep!" and "And then, I found the drachma (coin)", then "Rejoice, the neighbors!" and lastly "I have found the mote in my brother's eye" (Though this last is complicated in Russian: the 17th century abbreviations are unusual and may read: МАЛЪ СУЧЕЦ ВО ОКЕ БРАТН(Е) ТЫ ВИДИ(ШЬ) "You are seeing a tiny twiglet in a brother's eye.") It appears that the four stories together may have originally served to present a composite message to the recipient of the bowl.


The sources of the images may have been derived from domestic luboki, have been drawn from European prints, or were, perhaps, entirely original from the Usol'sk enameller.





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