Natural Pearl Resting Goat Antique Pearl Sculpture

Resting goat, Frankfurt on the Main, before 1706. Baroque pearl, gold, silver, gilded, enamel, rubies, diamonds. H 6,8 cm. Green Vault, VI 83 f. © Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

There was no limit to the imagination of the goldsmiths, who associated figurative motifs with the irregular forms and structures of the monstrous pearls in an associative way. The story spans from grotesque motifs and genre figures through depictions of ancient mythology and Christian themes to mythical creatures and animals. The latter often has symbolic significance. The goat, which is often found even in the small sculpture of the Renaissance, was then considered the epitome of male potency. He played a major role in the bucolic theme, where he appears in depictions of bacchanalian traits in the wake of satyrs. However, unlike similar works, the enamel plaque of the pedestal misses an immediate reference to this context. It shows a river landscape with two of a she-wolf-infants children: Romulus, the founder of Rome and its namesake, and his brother Remus. Even if the inventories do not contain any information about the origin of the piece, the special shape of the base ("Frankfurter Sockel") suggests that the goat is from the same workshop as the See unicorn purchased by Guillaume Verbecq. The effect of Pretiose is here completely determined by the huge Baroque pearl. It forms the body of the animal to which gold's head, legs and tail are attached. In contrast to most other pearly figures, a colored enamelling was omitted. Even if the inventories do not contain any information about the origin of the piece, the special shape of the base ("Frankfurter Sockel") suggests that the goat is from the same workshop as the See unicorn purchased by Guillaume Verbecq. The effect of Pretiose is here completely determined by the huge Baroque pearl. It forms the body of the animal to which gold's head, legs and tail are attached. In contrast to most other pearly figures, a colored enamelling was omitted. Even if the inventories do not contain any information about the origin of the piece, the special shape of the base ("Frankfurter Sockel") suggests that the goat is from the same workshop as the See unicorn purchased by Guillaume Verbecq. The effect of Pretiose is here completely determined by the huge Baroque pearl. It forms the body of the animal to which gold's head, legs and tail are attached. In contrast to most other pearly figures, a colored enamelling was omitted. Legs and tail are fixed in gold. In contrast to most other pearly figures, a colored enamelling was omitted. Legs and tail are fixed in gold. In contrast to most other pearly figures, a colored enamelling was omitted.
Natural Pearl Resting Goat Antique Pearl Sculpture
Source: http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2013/08/26/27899124.html