The Industrial Arts in SpainRiaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
History
The Industrial Arts in Spain
Riaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
Decorative arts -- Spain -- History; Pottery -- Spain -- History
The information and remains which have reached us illustrating silver
and gold work of the Roman domination are more important; we find,
however, in this and similar artistic industries that, as a general
rule, the Romans imposed their style and system on the inhabitants of
the countries which they conquered, and it is not easy to point out any
one example which can be given as an exception to this general rule. It
is, undoubtedly, a fact that objects of all kinds in gold and silver
were used in Spain to a very great extent--for, notwithstanding the
destruction of ages, we still possess inscriptions which allude to
silver statues, and a large number of objects in the precious metals
exist in museums and private collections. See "Inscrip. Hisp. lat.," by
Dr. Emile Hübner, Berlin, 1869. Of these it will be sufficient to
mention one of the most important. It is known in the province of
Santander by the name of the dish of Otañez; and belongs to a gentleman
who lives in that locality. It was found at Otañez at the end of the
last century, buried in a stone quarry. This dish is made of silver, it
weighs thirty-three ounces, and is covered with an ornamentation of
figures in relief, some of which are gilt, representing an allegorical
subject of the source of medicinal waters. In the upper part is a nymph
who pours water from an urn over rocks; a youth collects it in a vessel;
another gives a cup of it to a sick man; another fills with it a barrel
which is placed in a four-wheeled car to which are yoked two mules. On
each side of the fountain are altars on which sacrifices and libations
are offered. Round it is the inscription: SALVS. VMERITANA, and at the
back is engraved, in confused characters, the words: L. P. CORNELIANI.
PIII....
Another very interesting silver dish may be seen at the Academia de la
Historia, Madrid. Although not of Spanish manufacture, it deserves
special notice in a description of works of this style. This dish was
found in 1847, buried in a field at Almendralejo, province of
Estremadura: it is 28-6/8 English inches in diameter, and weighs 533
ounces. It is ornamented with fine figures in relief, representing the
Emperor Theodosius appointing a magistrate. The emperor is seated on his
throne in the centre, at the sides are his sons Arcadius and Honorius,
with four soldiers of the guard, and the magistrate, who receives the
volume. In the lower part there is an allegorical representation of a
nymph holding the horn of abundance, winged angels, and ears of wheat,
probably alluding to the abundance and plenty of the empire. Round the
rim is the following inscription:--
D. N. THEODOSIVS PERPET.
AVG OB DIEM FELI CISSIMVM.
At the back, in points, are the following Greek words.
[Greek: POS N MET ποc ↑Ν ΜεΤ]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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