A rare and important Venetian cameo glass ewer by Attilio Spaccarelli, circa 1885-90Of attractive small size, the squat lekythos form in rich translucent cobalt-blue glass overlaid in opaque white, carved with a thiasus or Bacchanalian procession of three full length semi-nude classical figures, including a maenad flanked by two satyrs, a grotesque satyr mask and large anthemion beneath the plain loop handle, the neck with an anthemion band between borders of scrolling vine and bay leaves, a band of stiff-leaf festoons to the base suspended from a medallion inscribed with the monogram 'VM' at the front, raised on a small circular spreading foot, 15.1cm highFootnotes:This ewer belongs to a small but highly celebrated group of cameo glass decorated by Attilio Spaccarelli on blanks produced by Vincenzo Moretti, the leading glassmaker at the Compagnia di Venezia e Murano (CVM) in Venice. Little is known of Spaccarelli, but he had studied at the Scuola Artistico Industriale in Rome, trained as a goldsmith and subsequently worked as a glass designer and decorator for the CVM, see Elisa P Sani, 'New Light on Venetian Cameo Glass', in Rosa Barovier Mentasti and Cristina Tonini, Study Days on Venetian Glass (2016), p.184.Inspired by the prolific work of John Northwood and others in England, Spaccarelli specialised in producing pieces inspired by ancient Roman cameo glass and his work was widely exhibited, including at the 1887 Venice Exhibition and the 1889 Rome Exhibition. Only three cameo pieces signed and dated by Spaccarelli are recorded, dated 1884, 1887 and 1891. They represent the only artist-signed pieces of glass ever produced by the CVM, and all are discussed by Sani (2016), pp.181-93. The earliest is a ewer of similar form and size to the present lot, decorated with a scene of Amazons in battle and inscribed 'A. Spaccarelli 1884', illustrated by Sani (2016), p.188, fig.1.Whilst the present ewer is unsigned, Spaccarelli is the only artist known to have employed the cameo technique at the CVM and this piece is unmistakably by his hand. The initials 'VM' were used by both the Compagnia Venezia e Murano as well as their leading glassmaker, Vincenzo Moretti. It is possible that this lot represents one of three small anforette in vetro a due strati, incise a cameo (two-layer glass amphorae, cameo engraved) by Spaccarelli which were exhibited by the CVM at the 1889 Rome Exhibition, none of which have been previously identified, see Sani (2016), p.183.The maenad is taken from a frieze of dancing maenads around a marble base in the Museum Nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo). The satyrs are taken from a Neo-Attic marble relief of a Bacchanalian procession known from Roman versions found in both Herculaneum and Rome, see for example the panel in the British Museum (inv. no.1805,0703.128). The satyr with the panther, perhaps representing Bacchus, is a figure which occurs on several other cameo pieces by Spaccarelli including a vase signed and dated 'COMP. VENEZIA MURANO SPACCARELLI INCISE 1891' which was offered as part of the Martin Cohen Collection at Bonhams New York on 6 October 2020, lot 102, and a vase in the Yale University Art Gallery illustrated by Susan B Matheson, Ancient Glass (1980), fig.A7. Both pieces were exhibited at Corning Museum of Glass, see the catalogue, Reflecting Antiquity (2007), nos.44 and 45.The only other major piece by Spaccarelli to come onto the market in recent years is a vase with a metal foot signed and dated 'A SPACCARELLI. 1887. INCISE V. MURANO', sold by Bonhams on 1 May 2013, lot 122. This again features a similar figure of a satyr with a panther. Another particularly fine amphora vase by Spaccarelli, in the Ashmolean Museum (inv. no.WA1947.191.297), is illustrated by Martine Newby, Glass of Four Millennia (2000), no.54.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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