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Drawing, Design for a Boat-Shaped Vessel, possibly intended as a Festival Float
This is a Drawing. It was created by Giulio Romano. It is dated 1533 and we acquired it in 1912. Its medium is pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, black chalk on off-white laid paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.
This enigmatic design by Giulio Romano of a boat shaped vessel flanked by siren-topped columns has been interpreted variously as being a salt cellar, a festival float and a cradle. The difficulty in identifying the design’s purpose stems from Romano’s prolific production at Federico II Gonzaga’s ducal court at Mantua. His work ranged from architecture and stage sets to metalwork and tapestries. This ink and chalk design is clear enough to be interpreted by various media, including metalwork and carved wood. The vessel is in the shape of a ship supported by two mermaids who float upon a base representing the sea. Aquatic themes were frequently incorporated into salt cellars, referencing the valuable mineral’s watery origins. The double-tailed mermaid is associated with the Emperor Charles V, suggesting the design could have been made as part of the decorations for a banquet given by the Gonzagas in honor of the emperor in 1530. The identification of object as a dynastic cradle to celebrate the birth of an heir would suggest it was made for the enfant Francesco III Gonzaga, born in 1533. The tradition of publicly presenting an heir within an ornate cradle and under a textile canopy was practiced by prominent families throughout Italy.
This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled An Ornate Boat with a Mysterious Purpose.
This object was
donated by
Advisory Council.
It is credited Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council.
- Trifoglio Vase
- pvc plastic.
- 1991-108-11
- Scenic - Panel, Garden Court
- screen-printed, rag paper.
- Gift of John Elmo.
- 1980-70-1
- Dado (France)
- block-printed on handmade paper.
- Gift of John Judkyn in memory of his mother, Florence Judkins.
- 1953-213-1-a,b
Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.
- Drawing, Design for a Saltcellar
- pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on cream laid paper.
- Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council.
- 1911-28-35-b
- Drawing, Design for Memorial to a Dog
- pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on off-white laid paper hinged to....
- Gift of Hugh Cassel.
- 1958-143-14
- Bandbox And Lid, Gallipoli
- block-printed on handmade paper, pasteboard support.
- Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt.
- 1913-17-13-a,b
Its dimensions are
35.2 x 30.1 cm (13 7/8 x 11 7/8 in.)
It has the following markings
Watermark: anchor in ovoid, topped by a five-lobed leaf over 3C (RB '45).
It is inscribed
Inscribed in graphite, verso: Les Dessins taient coll s emplein sur un carton, on les a d colles / en conservant l'entourage de Mariette
Cite this object as
Drawing, Design for a Boat-Shaped Vessel, possibly intended as a Festival Float; Giulio Romano (Italian, 1499–1546); Italy; pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, black chalk on off-white laid paper; 35.2 x 30.1 cm (13 7/8 x 11 7/8 in.) ; Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council; 1911-28-169
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibitions Hewitt Sisters Collect and The Cooper-Hewitt Collections: A Design Resource.
