Goldschmidt Galleries

active c. 1910 - 1930

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A cup carved from stone is mounted in gold fittings to create a jeweled chalice with handles that curl up each side and a tall, flaring foot below. The stone of the cup is swirled with shell pink and rust brown, and carved to create vertical ridges. The gold rim around the lip flares outward and is set with a band of alternating pairs of small, white pearls and mostly garnet-red stones, though one stone to our right is a muted blue. In this photograph, the handles curve up each side from the base of the stone cup to the gold lip, where the handle divides into two scrolling tendrils on either side of a teardrop shaped center, like curling petals. The base and foot are as tall as the stone cup and gold lip. A knob-like form just below the stone cup is set with deep red and jade green stones around its center, and rows of small pearls around the narrow top and bottom of the knob. The knob is chased to create a pattern of scrolling vines, like tracery. The flaring foot below is also chased with the same pattern, surrounding gold, oval medallions set at regular intervals in the foot. In our view, the medallion to the left shows a bunch of grapes and the center is a portrait of a bearded man with a halo, holding his right hand up with his first two fingers raised. The details on the medallion to our right are difficult to make out but it could be a sheaf of wheat. Small, round jewels are set above and below each medallion, and between each one.
French 12th Century, Alexandrian 2nd Century B.C., Alexandrian 1st Century B.C., Chalice of the Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis, 2nd/1st century B.C. (cup); 1137-1140 (mounting), sardonyx cup with heavily gilded silver mounting, adorned with filigrees set with stones, pearls, glass insets, and opaque white glass pearls, Widener Collection, 1942.9.277

Chalice of the Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis

French 12th Century, Alexandrian 2nd Century B.C., Alexandrian 1st Century B.C. · 2nd/1st century B.C. (cup); 1137-1140 (mounting) · sardonyx cup with heavily gilded silver mounting, adorned with filigrees set with stones, pearls, glass insets, and opaque white glass pearls ·  Accession ID  1942.9.277

Alfred André, Pendant with a Triton, 1885/1890, baroque pearl; gold enameled in white, black, translucent red, green, blue, and yellow; 2 diamonds, 37 rubies, 4 pearls, Widener Collection, 1942.9.309

Pendant with a Triton

Alfred André · 1885/1890 · baroque pearl; gold enameled in white, black, translucent red, green, blue, and yellow; 2 diamonds, 37 rubies, 4 pearls ·  Accession ID  1942.9.309

Carved from cream-white alabaster stone, this free-standing sculpture shows an armored knight sitting atop a horse, which straddles a curled up, snarling dragon in front of a kneeling person. In this photograph, the bodies of the horse and man face our left in profile. The dragon is pinned on its back with its head under the horse’s mouth. There are some losses: the head of the kneeling person is gone, and parts of both of the knight’s arms are missing. The lance the knight holds and the sword at his hip are also fragmented. The knight leans forward with his right arm, farther from us, raised and a shield with a red cross is affixed to the opposite upper arm. His pointed, rounded helmet is lined with chain mail around the chin and neck. Simple bands in gold, red, and black decorate the knight’s armor as well as the saddle and bridle on the horse. The horse looks down at the dragon underfoot, his chin pulled sharply back. The dragon is painted burgundy red, and has a large head with a gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth and fangs. Claws tear at the horse’s legs as the knight drives the lance into the dragon’s body. The creature’s black wings are pinned under its body, and its dotted tail curls up between the hind legs. To our left, near the dragon and horse's heads, the kneeling person wears a gold-edged dress under a voluminous robe. One hand holds the black and gold striped band looping around the dragon’s neck, and the other is raised to that person’s chest. The stone under the people and animals is roughly carved, suggesting a rocky ground.
English 14th Century, English 15th Century, Saint George and the Dragon, 1370/1420, painted and gilded alabaster, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1953.2.2

Saint George and the Dragon

English 14th Century, English 15th Century · 1370/1420 · painted and gilded alabaster ·  Accession ID  1953.2.2

Varrone Belferdino, Emperor Claudius, 10 B.C.-54 A.D., Emperor 41-54 [obverse], c. 1450, bronze, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1988.30.1.a

Emperor Claudius, 10 B.C.-54 A.D., Emperor 41-54 [obverse]

Varrone Belferdino · c. 1450 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1988.30.1.a

Varrone Belferdino, Claudius, Attended by Minerva and Liberalitas, Distributing Largesse [obverse], c. 1450, bronze, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1988.30.1.b

Claudius, Attended by Minerva and Liberalitas, Distributing Largesse [obverse]

Varrone Belferdino · c. 1450 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1988.30.1.b