Vitellius tazza
Unknown Artist
ca. 1587–99, foot added after mid-19th century
Medium
Gilded silver
Dimensions
Height (a–h): 16 3/16 in. (41.1 cm); Height (e–h): 8 7/16 in. (21.4 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver In Combination
Culture
Netherlandish?
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1945
Accession Number
45.60.58a–h
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Vitellius tazza crafted in gilded silver around 1587–99 by an unknown Netherlandish artist, stands as a masterful example of late Renaissance metalwork. Likely originating from the Spanish Netherlands during a period of artistic flourishing, the vessel features intricate scenes of human figures, battles, and soldiers—possibly dramatizing the tumultuous life of the Roman emperor Aulus Vitellius, brief reign in 69 AD was marked by strife. Its original height measured about 8 7/16 inches (21.4 cm), with a later-added foot in the mid-19th century elevating it to an impressive 16 3/...