DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1397#0110
PLATE 29.
DANISH GOLDSMITHS' WORK
OF the three subjects selected by us, No, 1 represents a drinking-horn, executed by J. Gr.
Schwartz & Son, of Copenhagen, from a very beautiful design by Mr. C. Peters, sculptor;
the horn, that of a bull, is finely mounted in carved ivory, and delicately inlaid, with a filigree
gold pattern; the four bassi-relievi illustrate passages from the story of Sigurth Fafhersbane
and Brynhild, as recounted in the old Icelandic sagas, and represent Sigurth slaying Fafnir the
Dragon; Sigurth pledging his faith to Brynhild; the ride of Sigurth through the flames to
Brynhild; the revenge of Brynhild, and death of Sigurth. The price of this remarkable and
most artistic work was £80, and it was purchased by the Prince Napoleon.
The dagger belonging to the King of Denmark, about fifteen inches long, was executed by
Julius Didrichsen, goldsmith, of Copenhagen. The guard was formed by the lions of Denmark.
The medallion on each side beneath it contained the monogram of the king and a cameo. The
knop of the grip was also ornamented with a fine cameo; the green velvet sheath being tastefully
enriched with gold, arabesque-work.
The salver in electro-silver contained illustrations of the Temptation of Eve, Cain and Abel,
subjects from the life of Christ, and emblems of the Evangelists, with the Baptism of Christ in
the centre,—the figures in low relief frosted on a burnished ground. This excellent piece was
contributed by M. Caspar Moller, electro-plater at Copenhagen.
The horn was a work of rare artistic merit: the designer having taken his ornament and
subjects from national sources, has obtained a result which has the striking effect of originality.
This is as it should be; and we congratulate Messrs. Peters & Schwartz in having produced
one of the finest and most remarkable examples of decorative art the Exhibition contained.
" Denmark shines like a star amidst the industry of the North (writes the reporter of
Class 33, 1862). She has found in the treasures of her museums types of Runic jewels of
remarkable beauty, and restored them truthfully. Her works prove that taste and design are
cultivated and encouraged at Copenhagen."
The horns of animals have been used as drinking-cups from the earliest ages. They were in
use among the Creeks and Romans, and are represented in, drawings in the Vatican Virgil in
the 4th century, MS. Prudentius in the British Museum (9th century); and in an Anglo-Saxon
calendar, Cottonian collection, 9th century. King Ragnar Lodbrok, the Dane, in the 8th century,
sings, " Quickly seated in the splendid habitation of the gods, we shall drink beer out of curved
horns;" and a great number of carved walrus and other horns, varying in date from the 10th
probably to the 12th century, are preserved in various museums: these, however, were used both
as trumpets and tenure-horns. Such, e. g., are the remarkable piece in the museum at Toulouse
(the so-called horn of Roland); one in the museum of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, Edinburgh;
the horn of Ulphus at York; the Clan Clephane horn, belonging to the Marquis of Northampton;
and others in the national museums of Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Dresden, Munich, &c.; indeed, there
are few collections in Europe where these remarkable works may not be found. These horns are
all carved in low relief, with subjects from the chase, war, &c, combined with griffins, sphinxes,
and running foliage, and ornament interlacings, which appear to mark them as proceeding from
some common semi-Oriental source.
We have, however, no means of ascertaining whether these horns were ever used for
drinking purposes. The probability is, they were used mainly as hunting-horns, and were
deposited as tokens of tenure for hunting-grounds. True drinking-horns, however, are preserved
in several places : these are generally ox-horn,—consequently curved, mounted on a metal or
other stand, and furnished with a lid. Such, e. g., are the fine horn of Queen's College, Oxford,
some remarkable pieces in the Arnbras collection at Vienna, and the grand silver-chased horn
of the corporation of Amsterdam, a similar one to which, but in the Gothic style, is to be
seen in a painting of the school of "Wohlgemuth, in the gallery of the chapel at Nuremberg Castle.
Of this class is the horn we have illustrated. There is an art in drinking out of these curved
horns; and the unwary novice is apt to find the liquor splashing in his face, unless duly
instructed how to handle them.
DANISH GOLDSMITHS' WORK
OF the three subjects selected by us, No, 1 represents a drinking-horn, executed by J. Gr.
Schwartz & Son, of Copenhagen, from a very beautiful design by Mr. C. Peters, sculptor;
the horn, that of a bull, is finely mounted in carved ivory, and delicately inlaid, with a filigree
gold pattern; the four bassi-relievi illustrate passages from the story of Sigurth Fafhersbane
and Brynhild, as recounted in the old Icelandic sagas, and represent Sigurth slaying Fafnir the
Dragon; Sigurth pledging his faith to Brynhild; the ride of Sigurth through the flames to
Brynhild; the revenge of Brynhild, and death of Sigurth. The price of this remarkable and
most artistic work was £80, and it was purchased by the Prince Napoleon.
The dagger belonging to the King of Denmark, about fifteen inches long, was executed by
Julius Didrichsen, goldsmith, of Copenhagen. The guard was formed by the lions of Denmark.
The medallion on each side beneath it contained the monogram of the king and a cameo. The
knop of the grip was also ornamented with a fine cameo; the green velvet sheath being tastefully
enriched with gold, arabesque-work.
The salver in electro-silver contained illustrations of the Temptation of Eve, Cain and Abel,
subjects from the life of Christ, and emblems of the Evangelists, with the Baptism of Christ in
the centre,—the figures in low relief frosted on a burnished ground. This excellent piece was
contributed by M. Caspar Moller, electro-plater at Copenhagen.
The horn was a work of rare artistic merit: the designer having taken his ornament and
subjects from national sources, has obtained a result which has the striking effect of originality.
This is as it should be; and we congratulate Messrs. Peters & Schwartz in having produced
one of the finest and most remarkable examples of decorative art the Exhibition contained.
" Denmark shines like a star amidst the industry of the North (writes the reporter of
Class 33, 1862). She has found in the treasures of her museums types of Runic jewels of
remarkable beauty, and restored them truthfully. Her works prove that taste and design are
cultivated and encouraged at Copenhagen."
The horns of animals have been used as drinking-cups from the earliest ages. They were in
use among the Creeks and Romans, and are represented in, drawings in the Vatican Virgil in
the 4th century, MS. Prudentius in the British Museum (9th century); and in an Anglo-Saxon
calendar, Cottonian collection, 9th century. King Ragnar Lodbrok, the Dane, in the 8th century,
sings, " Quickly seated in the splendid habitation of the gods, we shall drink beer out of curved
horns;" and a great number of carved walrus and other horns, varying in date from the 10th
probably to the 12th century, are preserved in various museums: these, however, were used both
as trumpets and tenure-horns. Such, e. g., are the remarkable piece in the museum at Toulouse
(the so-called horn of Roland); one in the museum of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, Edinburgh;
the horn of Ulphus at York; the Clan Clephane horn, belonging to the Marquis of Northampton;
and others in the national museums of Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Dresden, Munich, &c.; indeed, there
are few collections in Europe where these remarkable works may not be found. These horns are
all carved in low relief, with subjects from the chase, war, &c, combined with griffins, sphinxes,
and running foliage, and ornament interlacings, which appear to mark them as proceeding from
some common semi-Oriental source.
We have, however, no means of ascertaining whether these horns were ever used for
drinking purposes. The probability is, they were used mainly as hunting-horns, and were
deposited as tokens of tenure for hunting-grounds. True drinking-horns, however, are preserved
in several places : these are generally ox-horn,—consequently curved, mounted on a metal or
other stand, and furnished with a lid. Such, e. g., are the fine horn of Queen's College, Oxford,
some remarkable pieces in the Arnbras collection at Vienna, and the grand silver-chased horn
of the corporation of Amsterdam, a similar one to which, but in the Gothic style, is to be
seen in a painting of the school of "Wohlgemuth, in the gallery of the chapel at Nuremberg Castle.
Of this class is the horn we have illustrated. There is an art in drinking out of these curved
horns; and the unwary novice is apt to find the liquor splashing in his face, unless duly
instructed how to handle them.