Attributed to Francesco Natale Juvarra (1673-1759), based on a design by Filippo Juvarra (1676-1736), Rome or Turin, first half of 18th century

Possibly commissioned by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy as
a gift to Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor;
Private collection, Italy

Overall the condition of the silver is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There was probably originally an inner receptacle, now lost. There are a few minor fissures and pinholes to the body, some of which are original to the casting. There are also a few minor original fissures and pinholes to the lid and some dents to the edges of the lid. The lamb's flagpole is slightly bent. There is some oxidization to the surface consistent with age and material. The underside is engraved with scratchweight 2210 twice (once indistinctly). The weight was measured by Sotheby's as 2208g (77.9oz).
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Introduction

The original function and commission of this exuberantly baroque vessel can be understood by a close examination of its form and iconography. Shells abound, forming the bulk of the lower bowl set above a twisting watery stem. A neat row of shells forms the rim of the vessel and shells again decorate the lid. Clearly this vessel was intended to hold water, for which a central container, probably of pietra dura or rock crystal, is now lost. The religious iconography on the vessel leaves no doubt that the contents of the vessel were connected with the rite of Baptism. The Agnus Dei holding the flag sits on a rocky mound on the lid above the shell motifs and, even more explicitly, there is on one end a relief of St John baptizing Christ flanked by two angels, below the  dove representing the Holy Spirit with two seraphs, and above the bearded head of a river god. On the opposite end of the vessel is the crown of the Holy Roman Empire united with the arms of the Habsburgs of Austria

Patron and Purpose

The Habsburg arms were used in this form until 1740 and were later modified after the wedding between Maria Theresia of Austria, daughter of Charles VI, and Francis Stephen of Lorraine. The arms can therefore be securely identified as those of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1685-1740). After the 1714 Treaty of Rastadt, Charles VI ruled over the former Spanish states of Italy, except Sicily which was part of the kingdom of Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy.  If the stylistic origin of this vessel between Rome and Turin is accepted it seems possible either Charles VI commissioned this himself or, more plausibly, that Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, loyal ally of the Habsburgs, commissioned it as a gift. The latter hypothesis is supported by the stylistic affinities, discussed fully below, with designs by Vittorio Amedeo II's court architect Filippo Juvarra who worked closely with his brother, the silversmith, Francesco Natale Juvarra.

In 1711, Charles VI, succeeded his brother as Holy Roman Emperor, but fearing his lack of male successor, modified the rules of inheritance in 1713 with the Pragmatic Sanction.  This allowed for the succession of the eldest daughter to the throne, a change accepted by many European rulers, including Vittorio Amedeo II.  After eight years of marriage, Charles VI's wife, Cristina of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, gave birth to Leopold Joseph in 1716.  This long awaited male heir sadly died in infancy in the following November, without receiving the Solemn Baptism, which used to be celebrated some months after the rite of the Essential Baptism, celebrated immediately after the birth. It is possible that the commission of this ceremonial sacramental vessel was intended for the Solemn Baptism of Leopold Joseph, or that  of Maria Theresia, born in 1717, who would eventually succeed to the throne.

Style and Attribution

The Agnus Dei, together with the shell motif, and relief of the Baptism could have taken their  iconographic inspiration from the famous gilt bronze font in the Baptismal Chapel of Saint Peter's in Rome, executed between 1695 and 1697 by the papal bronze-founder Giovanni Giardini, based on designs by Carlo Fontana. Further evidence of the possible Roman origin of this vessel around 1716 is suggested by the striking stylistic and formal similarities with the project for a vase by Filippo Juvarra drawn in pen and ink about 1715 (fig. 1) and by the identical style  in which the eagle is drawn in some later projects by the same artist.

Filippo di Pietro Juvarra (1676-1736), member of a famous family of silversmiths from Messina, was himself a silversmith before starting his career as an architect, working for ten years (1704-1714) under Carlo Fontana in Rome, and in the service of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. In 1714 Filippo Juvarra was appointed Royal Architect in Messina by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, then king of Sicily,  who  in the same year called him to Turin. Thanks to a series of documents we know that Filippo Juvarra  spent periods in Rome from 1714 to 1716, where he was engaged in the execution of models for the new Vatican Sacristy (never built) commissioned by Pope Clemente XI Albani.

Francesco Natale Juvarra (1673-1759), famous silversmith and elder brother of Filippo, moved to Rome in 1713 and worked with Filippo, even after the latter moved  to Turin.  Leone Pascoli stated that even "when his brother was away Francesco Natale kept very close contacts with him, receiving a number of commisssions from him for decorative objects". The many projects for vases and furnishings, conceived from 1715 onwards for the king of Sardinia, and today in the Museo Civico of Turin, show the creative fantasy of Filippo who, even after his appointment to Royal Architect, enjoyed designing ornaments and decorations, often supplying ideas  which his brother Francesco Natale would work up and execute in silver.

This ceremonial vessel displays the ornamental richness and highly refined taste typical of the silver pieces made in the Sicilian workshop of the Juvarras, The hypothesis that it could be the result of a later collaboration between them is confirmed by comparison with a number of pieces securely attributed to them. The  putto that forms the handle shows strong stylistic similarities with those which decorate the arms of the silver chandelier (Messina, Museo Regionale) assigned to the activity of the young Filippo, around 1705, as well as with the handles of the monstrance  in the church of Saint George in Modica and with the monstrance base in Saint Agnese in Rome, both documented works by Francesco Natale. In these works, and in his plaque of the Immaculate Conception in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles (circa 1730-1740 ), the decoration incorporates shells and swags, characteristic motives of Francesco Natale's  decorative repertoire.

RELATED ITERATURE
L. Masini, La vita e l'arte di Filippo Juvarra, in "Atti della società piemontese di Archeologia e Belle Arti", Turin 1920;
A. Bargoni, in Mostra del barocco piemontese,exhibition catalogue, Turin 1963, III, tav. 67, n. 219;
G. Musolino, L'ostensorio della chiesa di San Giorgio a Modica e l'attività "eccellentissima" di Francesco Lo Judice e Francesco Natale Juvarra. Proposte e ipotesi e G. Molonia, La famiglia degli argentieri Juvarra nei documenti archivistici messinesi, both in Il tesoro dell'Isola. Capolavori sicilani in argento e corallo dal XV al XVIII secolo, exhibition catalogue in two volumes edited by S. Rizzo, Palermo 2008, I, pp. 191-204, pp. 1115-1122

We are grateful to Dottssa Maria Cecilia Fabbri for her cataloguing on this lot and to Dr Jennifer Montagu for her advice.