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An early 17th century Limoges enamel oval plaque depicting Venus and Cupid and the blowing wind After Otto van Veen, also known as Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius (Flemish, 1556-1629) image 1
An early 17th century Limoges enamel oval plaque depicting Venus and Cupid and the blowing wind After Otto van Veen, also known as Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius (Flemish, 1556-1629) image 2
Lot 12

An early 17th century Limoges enamel oval plaque depicting Venus and Cupid and the blowing wind
After Otto van Veen, also known as Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius (Flemish, 1556-1629)

Fine Decorative Arts
5 July 2024, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £4,864 inc. premium

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An early 17th century Limoges enamel oval plaque depicting Venus and Cupid and the blowing wind

After Otto van Veen, also known as Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius (Flemish, 1556-1629)
The nude figure of Cupid standing at a squat column with open folio, the figure of Venus in contrapposto, her left hand gesturing towards the open volume, her chariot just visible to right edge, a celestial figure, probably Jupiter, leaning on rolling clouds, his lightning bolts clasped in the beak of an eagle, the outer border titled in Latin to the top 'Giuramento Parlo al vento' meaning 'This oath I speak to the wind' and to the lower border 'Amoure ne peut mal faire' which means 'Love can't do anything wrong', set within original gilt bronze frame, 16cm wide, 14.9cm high, 1cm deep overall approximately

Footnotes

Provenance
With Messrs Durlacher Brothers, New Bond Street, London.
Offered Christies, 16th century Italian Majolica, Bronzes & Objects of Art, French & Italian Furniture & Tapestries, Lot 34, April 1938.

The image utilised by the Limoges artist is taken from the Flemish artist, illustrator and humanist – Otto van Veen (or Otto Venius or Octavius Vaenius) who was working in Antwerp and Brussels in the late 16th and early 17th century. He is remembered for producing in his studio in Antwerp a small series of 'emblem' books and for being the teacher of Peter Paul Rubens, circa 1594/1595 to 1598.

The illustration from the offered lot most likely originates from one of van Veen's 'emblem' books, either Amorum emblemata (1608) or Amoris divini emblemata (1615) as illustrations from the two books both use the same oval format with near identical shaped border frames.

Amorum emblemata is listed as having one hundred and twenty four putti or cupids enacting the mottoes and quotations from lyricists, philosophers, and ancient writers on the powers of love. It is recorded as one of the most influential books of its day on the subject of love and functioned not only as a template model for other Dutch and foreign 'emblem' books but also as a source of inspiration for many artists in other fields including the Limoges enamel workshops.

The plaque is titled in latin 'Giuramento Parlo al vento' meaning 'This oath I speak to the wind' to the upper outer border and 'Amoure ne peut mal faire' meaning 'Love can't do anything wrong' to the lower border

A comparable Limoges panel, also unattributed but dated to the late 16th or early 17th century was offered on the European art market in 2015 estimated at 5000-8000 euros.

Additional information

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