A Finely Carved Goblet and Support Raised Upon a Turned Pear-Wood Base

Object Description

A Finely Carved Goblet and Support Raised Upon a Turned Pear-Wood Base
Workshop of Georg Pfründt (1603 – 1663)
Narwhal, wood
German
17th Century

SIZE: 16.5cm high – 6½ ins high

Object History

London Art Market 1960s
Ex Private collection

Object Literature

Georg Pfründt (1603 – 1663), born in Franconia, trained under one of the greatest ivory carvers of the Renaissance, Leonard Kern (1588 – 1662). Moving to Strasbourg in 1639, Pfründt worked in the service of Charles Ludwig, Elector Palatine, and Duke Eberhard VIII of Würtemberg. The ‘goblet’ is carved in the same style as the equally celebrated ‘Nef’ favoured by princely courts for their ‘kunstkammer’ (the 17th century ‘art chamber’) developed out of a medieval treasury which in turn became the Renaissance ‘studiolo’. The use of ‘narwhal’ in this rare cup adds to the ‘sense’ of rarity and ‘exotica’.

Object Details