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Source Description
The source for the scenes on this bowl and on a similar one in the Moscow Kremlin Armory (inv. MP-1079) is the illustrated Bible of Nicholaus Johannes Piscator (1586-1652), a Dutch publisher and engraver. This Bible was translated into Russian in the 1670s and became a source for images on objects and church frescoes. The paintings, like the inscriptions, are freely adapted: there are more scenes on the bowl than are illustrated in the Piscator Bible, and sometimes a single scene has been painted in two parts to accommodate the lobes of the bowl. The image in the central medallion seems to allude to the young Russian Czar Peter I (r. 1682-1725), while the surrounding scenes from the Book of Esther may refer to his mother, the Czarina Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina. Formerly attributed to a Solvychegodsk workshop, the bowl is more likely to have been made in Moscow.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
24647
label
Bowl with Judah and Lion Surrounded by Scenes from the Book of Esther
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
24647
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Bowl with Judah and Lion Surrounded by Scenes from the Book of Esther
description
The source for the scenes on this bowl and on a similar one in the Moscow Kremlin Armory (inv. MP-1079) is the illustrated Bible of Nicholaus Johannes Piscator (1586-1652), a Dutch publisher and engraver. This Bible was translated into Russian in the 1670s and became a source for images on objects and church frescoes. The paintings, like the inscriptions, are freely adapted: there are more scenes on the bowl than are illustrated in the Piscator Bible, and sometimes a single scene has been painted in two parts to accommodate the lobes of the bowl. The image in the central medallion seems to allude to the young Russian Czar Peter I (r. 1682-1725), while the surrounding scenes from the Book of Esther may refer to his mother, the Czarina Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina. Formerly attributed to a Solvychegodsk workshop, the bowl is more likely to have been made in Moscow.
provenance
Alexandre Polovtsoff (Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Polovtsov), Saint Petersburg and Paris, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1690 (Early Modern)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Enamels
bowls (vessels)
drinking vessels
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diam: 10 1/8 in. (25.72 cm)
Source extras
cul
Russian
style
Baroque
inscriptions
[Translation]Jacob’s son
from whom Christ descended. Judah said [that] the lion will mightily conquer the enemies (cf. Rev. 5:5).Out of a thousand [virgins]
Esther alone finds favor with the king and receives from him a royal crown on her head (cf. Esther 2:17).Mordecai served in the palace. He commands Esther not to reveal her kindred. The same he commanded about her people (cf. Esther 2:19-20).For seven days in the house of King Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus) his officials and servants made merry
and people of all ages ate (cf. Esther 2:18). Two chiefs of the guard of the king’s bed
grieved because Mordecai had been promoted
sought to kill King Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus) (cf. Esther 2:21).Aman (Haman)
most fierce enemy of the Jews
swaggers [and] takes a ring from the king’s finger (cf. Esther 3:1.10).Messengers are sent by Aman (Haman) throughout Artaxerxes’ (Ahasuerus’) kingdom with a letter [commanding] to exterminate the race of the Jews in one day (cf. Esther 3:13).Esther sends the eunuch Achrathaeus (Hathach) to Mordecai to learn the truth. And Mordecai told her what had happened to him (cf. Esther 4:5-7).Esther approaches the king with a perturbed heart but not with sad news
[and] summons to a great banquet (cf. Esther 5:1-4).Aman (Haman) is accused
the queen reveals his evil deed
and he is hung upon the cross prepared for Mordecai (cf. Esther 7:5-10).[Transcription] С(ы)нъ Иаковлевъ
ωт негó же изыде Х(ристо)с / Iуда рече
крѣпко жъ лвà враги победитъ [Сын Яковлев
от него же изыде Христос / Иуда рече: Крепко же льва враги победит] (cf. Rev. 5:5) Едина ωт тысiащей Есвиръ угóдна ц(а)реви бываетъ
ωтнюдоу же ц(а)рскïи венéцъ на главѣ восприïмáетъ. Есвиръ Глав(а) в
стих(ъ) зi (cf. Esther 2:17) Мардохéй убо служáше во дворѣ ц(а)ревѣ. Есфирь заповѣдает рода своего не ѧвлѧти. Сице заповѣда о людехъ своихъ (cf. Esther 2:19-20) По сéдмь днéй в домоу у ц(а)рѧ Артаξéрξа веможи его и раби веселiахоусiа и всiакъ всiакъ возрастъ питáшесiа (cf. Esther 2:18) Двà начáлнiшïи стрáжи лóжа ц(а)рева оскóрблении соуть iако препочтенъ бысть Мардохéй искáху Артаξерξа ц(а)рѧ убити (cf. Esther 2:21) Амáнъ июдéωмъ прелютыи врáгъ себѣ превозношáетъ
перстень от ωт ц(а)рьского пéрста взимáетъ. Есфиръ Гла(ва) г
с(ти)х θ (cf. Esther 3:1.10) От Амана с пïсáнïемъ послы посылáютсѧ во все ц(а)рьство Артаξерксово да побиютъ р[o]дъ жидóвскïи в дéнь единъ (cf. Esther 3:13) Есфирь скопцà Ахраθéа спроситъ ïстины к Мородхею посылаетъ. Что имъ слоучишасѧ Мардохéи же сказà éй бывшее (cf. Esther 4:5-7) Сердцемъ смоущéнным но нескорбною вѣстию Есфïръ ко ц(а)рю прибѣгаетъ
на вечерю вéлию призывает. Есθ(иръ) Гла(ва) е
с(ти)х s (cf. Esther 5:1-4) Оглагóланъ Амáнъ бывáетъ
ц(а)рïца злодѣѧнïе расширѧетъ
Мардохею соωруженныи к(рес)тъ сáмъ претеръпѣвáетъ. Глав(а) з (cf. Esther 7:5-10)
dynasty
House of Romanov
reign
Peter I the Great (1682-1725)
med
silver gilt, painted and filigree enamel
creator_ids
6214
19001
collection_ids
BAR
exhibition_ids
69
956
563
662
3103
3104
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
56e0de524f2c032b
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
ac889871d0b74d5b
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no