Studio: international art (43.1908)

■ Spanish Mediaeval and Renaissance Ironwork

SPANISH NAIL-HEAD ORNAMENT
I5TH—i6th CENTURY

Emperor of Germany, under the title of Charles V.,
the crowned and two-headed imperial eagle was
widely adopted in Spanish ornament, beside
already favourite emblems, such as the lion of the
province of Leon and the turrets of Castile. The
fleur-de-lys is so exquisite a device that no justifi-
cation of its presence in Spanish work is needed ;
and in any event it would be difficult to pronounce
whether it was intended to signify the arms of
France or of Florence.

Spanish ironwork. Some of the beautiful late-
Gothic works are unmistakably inspired by
Flemish, others by German motifs. In the six-
teenth century, when a Spanish prince became

SPANISH KEY, HASPS AND LOCKS
15TH—17TH CENTURIES

SPANISH DOOR-KNOCKER
15TH CENTURY

In the iron-bound casket (p. 124) all the metal
straps terminate in an escallop. The band around the
lid is of pierced tracery, which, late-Gothic though
it be, could scarcely have been produced within a
century of the two key-plates that flank the middle
lock. Absolute unity of style in days of transition
is not to be expected; and old models, as is well
known, were used and re-used for years after the
introduction of later fashions. Yet, since the
body of the casket appears to be a fairly consistent
work of its period, it is but reasonable to conclude
that the pronouncedly Renaissance scutcheons
were subsequent additions.

The strong-box (p. 125) is of very plain character,
except for the ornament, which, as in the last-named
example, is obviously no part of the original. In
this instance the accretion consists of a mutilated
upper portion of a shield of the well-known Italian

126