A magnificent Italian Baroque bucket
Silvery gold cast bronze with slightly mottled greenish shimmering patina and engravings. Of cylindrical form with a hinged curving handle issuing from two relief mascarons. Decorated throughout with floral swags, winged putti on scroll brackets, fruiting grapevines, acanthus foliage and the central coat of arms of the patrician family of Venier on either side. The upper and lower rims engraved with the inscriptions: "VNIVERSITÀ DELLE ARTI SOTTO LA REGENZA DEL NOBILIO BETO VENIER VIC" and "FRANCESCO TOMASI JOSEPH RUFFINI FUDIT 1777 ANZIANI LI ILRI PAOLO BONAFINI". H 29, D 23.7 cm. Weight c. 9.6 kg.
Attributed to Northern Italy, Venice, 1777.
The coat of arms on both sides of this bucket belongs to the Venier family from Venice, one of the oldest families in northern Italy. The Venier family gained fame and prestige at the very latest through the appointment of Antonio Venier (around 1330 - 1400) as Doge of Venice. After him, two other members of the family, Francesco (1489 - 1556) and Sebastiano (1496 - 1578) Venier, succeeded in assuming the office of Doge. Little is known about the activities of the other members of the family. The only other member who is known by name is the sculptor and bronze caster Michelangiolo Venier (1706 - 1780). Among other works, the bronze doors of the balustrade of the presbytery of the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua are attributed to his hand.
Literature
This rare bucket reiterates motifs found in north Italian mortars of the 16th century, such as a piece housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (published in: Cat. Motture, Bells & Mortars, Catalogue of Italian Bronzes in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2001, cat. no. 59).