Exhibition Highlights
Ewer with the Arms of the Molino Family of Venice
1450-1500, possibly made in the southern Netherlands or Germany, probably decorated in Egypt or Syria
Brass inlaid with silver and a black compound
Few pieces of metalwork are as intriguing as this ewer. Identical in shape to a type produced in Germany and the Southern Netherlands, it carries decoration typical of Egypt or Syria. The Molino family were Venetian patricians with mercantile links with the Islamic world. Their coat of arms may have been applied in the Middle East, or added later in Venice.
Glass and metalware dominated the Venetian table. The metalware included highly decorative brass dishes and vessels, often imported from the Middle East, which was then part of the international trade network of the Republic.
