Lot Archive

Lot

№ 2176

.

24 June 2009

Estimate: £70–£90

Italy, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, a pair of oval base metal portrait plaques, with busts to right and left, St Peter with his hand across his chest, each 130 x 110mm [2]. Good very fine; contained in separate square frames, mounted to hang corner-to-corner £70-90

The image of St Peter was converted into a Wedgwood medallion, catalogued by Reilly and Savage as being a portrait of Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). This attribution is based on a bronze statue of Rubens by John Michael Rysbrack (1694-1770), where his hand, albeit the right hand, is placed across his body. Rubens is shown with a short, neat beard, though otherwise it might be said that the features may be somewhat similar