Large Antique Egyptian Revival Silver-Inlaid Copper Wall Charger, 65 Cm, 1900

Details

Description

Engraved and inlaid silver decoration covers the broad face of this large copper charger, executed in the distinctive Egyptian Revival … Read more Engraved and inlaid silver decoration covers the broad face of this large copper charger, executed in the distinctive Egyptian Revival taste popular with Grand Tour travellers around the turn of the twentieth century. The surface is worked with contrasting white-metal inlay set against the warm spun copper, outlined with delicate chasing. The central disc is divided into registers depicting classic ancient Egyptian iconography. At the centre, an archer stands poised within a two-wheeled battle chariot drawn by galloping horses, flanked by standing deities bearing wands and symbols. Below this battle frieze lies a panoramic view featuring the Great Sphinx, the Pyramids of Giza, and a traveller leading a dromedary camel, while the upper register portrays a cow and attendant amongst papyrus reeds. Surrounding the central tableau, a wide collar of arching lotus buds and stems radiates outward toward the cavetto. The broad, slightly raised rim is bordered with elongated cartouche motifs and stylised emblems linked by flowing scrollwork, providing a balanced frame to the dense narrative at the centre. Probably made in Cairo workshops between 1890 and 1920 to satisfy European demand for grand decorative souvenirs, metalwork of this scale was intended primarily for interior display. The reverse shows a natural hammered copper surface, complete with a pair of soldered brass brackets strung with wire for hanging. The charger measures 65 cm in diameter. See less