A Silver-Gilt Bowl, Balkans, possibly Ragusa, late 14th/ early 15th century

of shallow form with a raised omphalos, the applied print with a central stellar design composed of hatched cartouches within a border of petal motifs, centrally attached by a pin with faceted head, the repousse and chased decoration of six hexafoil roundels each containing a mythical or heraldic beast, the interstices alternately with foliate scrolls with trefoil terminals and palmettes pierced by paired branches, the border with a frieze of curving, cusped leaves, all on a punched ground, the rim pierced by a pin attaching a collared suspension loop

Turkophilia, Paris, 2011

Paris 2011, p.29.

Generally very good, minor wear and denting, as viewed.
"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."

This beautifully worked silver bowl stands at the end of the late Byzantine tradition and is the starting point for Balkan silver work under the Ottoman Empire. From an Ottoman perpective, is a reminder that the elements of Renaissance culture present in early Ottoman society permeated the Empire not just through emulation of external practices but also an inheritance from later Byzantine art.

The quality of workmanship on the bowl argues for a significant metropolitan centre of production such as Ragusa, though Venice, or one of its colonial workshops, is also a possibility. The antecedents of this style can be seen on a border to an altar frontal added around 1336 in the Treasury of San Marco (New York 1984, p.278, no.40). The decoration still retains elements from both the Gothic and Renaissance traditions, both in its structural elements, such as the hexafoil cartouches, and in its motifs, such as the foliage with its trefoil terminals. The print may well have been enamelled, an embellishment frequently added to this element.