an Italian rock crystal vase engraved with the story of Actaeon attributed to the Saracchi workshop, Milan, circa 1580 and later

the upper section of the crystal, finely engraved with a rich landscape in which Actaeon is shown at Diana's bath and being overrun by the dogs, is cut down at the underside, the lower part with gadroons and stem associated, set in later engraved and embossed gilt mounts; engraved: No 30 H.E.W.W. and 72030 on the underside

Baron Lionel de Rothschild.
Alfred de Rothschild, Halton House, Buckinghamshire

C. Davis, A Description of the works of art forming the collection of Alfred de Rothschild, London, 1884, vol.II

Overall the condition of the vase is very good. There is some minor wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are a few naturally occurring inclusions and stable fissures to the rock crystal. There is some minor wear to the gilding of the mounts. The upper mount has a few minor nicks to its edge. The vase is slightly loose on its stem.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The elegant engraving on this rock crystal vase compares closely with that of the famous Milanese workshop of the Saracco brothers, known as the Saracchi. As their pieces could only be afforded by the European nobility, vessels from the Saracchi workshop are now nearly exclusively found in royal and ducal collections such as Munich's Residenz Museum, the Medicean collections in the Palazzo Pitti, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the Louvre.

On the present rock crystal vessel, the engraved figure of Actaeon standing is striking as he starts to turn into the stag after intruding on Diana and the nymphs at their bath. The engraver has presented the viewer with the moment at which Actaeon turns away from the bathers, depicting a sweeping, Mannerist pose. The angular drapery and the way it clings to the upper legs and waist of the figure recalls the standing figure of Moses on the mounted rock crystal Galley of Moses in Munich (no. 329). Further, the twisting bodies and physiognomy of the startled bathers, are mirrored in the ewer with the story of Callisto in the same collection (no. 331). The slender trees with  leaves rendered by excavating individual notches into the crystal are also present on the Callisto ewer.

The concave shape of the upper part suggests that it was once part of a pear-shaped vase like the Saracchi vases in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (nos. BK-17110a-b, see fig. 1). The gadrooned section at the base is associated but is reminiscent of the underside of other Milanese vessels of the 16^th century (see for instance Musée du Louvre no. MR281). It is clear that a new vessel was created here to conserve a rare example of carving from the Saracchi workshop.

We would like to thank Dr Paulus Rainer from the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna for his kind assistance with cataloguing this lot.

RELATED LITERATURE
C.L. Robert, 'The Wittelsbach crystals at Munich', Apollo, March 1938, pp. 139-43; R. Distelberger, 'Die Saracchi-Werkstatt und Annibale Fontana, Jahrbuch des Kunsthistorisches Sammlungen in Wien, 71, 1975, pp. 95-164; T.M. Duyvené de Wit-Klinkhamer, Uit de Schatkamer. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 1967, fig. 10; D. Alcouffe, Les Gemmes de la Couronne, ex. cat. Musée du Louvre, Paris, 2001, p. 232, no. 98