Paper knife
Medium
Gold, enamel
Dimensions
10 1/4 x 2 3/4 in. (26 x 7 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold and Platinum
Culture
Italian, Rome
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mrs. Charles Wrightsman Gift, 1993
Accession Number
1993.66
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite paper knife, crafted around 1863 by the renowned goldsmith Fortunatoani in collaboration with Michelangelo Caetani Duke of Sermoneta, the opulence of 19th Italian decorative arts. Fashioned from gold and enamel, it measures an elegant 10¼ x 2¾ inches, blending functionality with artistry as a desk accessory for the elite. Castellani, a pioneer in reviving Renaissance techniques, adorned the piece with delicate angel motifs—evident in its tagged iconography—showcasing his mastery of fine granulation and cloisonné enameling, which mimicked ancient Etruscan and medieval methods. H...