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Source Description
This ewer, or pitcher, is decorated with scenes that encircle it in bands. Depicted on the largest band is the story from Genesis in which Melchizedek, the king of Salem, presents bread and wine to Abraham. Lot and the king of Sodom are also present, standing behind Abraham. The composition is taken from Bible woodcut illustrations by Bernard Salomon published in 1553. The band above, with cavorting, fanciful animals turning into musical instruments, is unrelated but equally effective at drawing the eye around the ewer.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
9452
label
Ewer with Melchizedek and Abraham
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
9452
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Ewer with Melchizedek and Abraham
description
This ewer, or pitcher, is decorated with scenes that encircle it in bands. Depicted on the largest band is the story from Genesis in which Melchizedek, the king of Salem, presents bread and wine to Abraham. Lot and the king of Sodom are also present, standing behind Abraham. The composition is taken from Bible woodcut illustrations by Bernard Salomon published in 1553. The band above, with cavorting, fanciful animals turning into musical instruments, is unrelated but equally effective at drawing the eye around the ewer.
provenance
J. Pierpont Morgan, New York, no. 819; Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1919, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1555-1560 (Renaissance)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Enamels
ewers (vessels)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
H: 12 5/8 in. (32 cm)
Source extras
med
painted enamels on copper
creator_ids
5948
collection_ids
REN
exhibition_ids
2321
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
1b0d631438539aaf