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The image shows swirling, curling lines forming an intricate and abstract arrangement resembling a hybrid creature. Two horse-like heads are at the top, merging and intertwining with flowing manes. Below, the lines transition into snake-like curves, extending downward and morphing into a fish-like tail with fins flaring out. The composition blends elements of different animals in an imaginative way.
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The image shows swirling, curling lines forming an intricate and abstract arrangement resembling a hybrid creature. Two horse-like heads are at the top, merging and intertwining with flowing manes. Below, the lines transition into snake-like curves, extending downward and morphing into a fish-like tail with fins flaring out. The composition blends elements of different animals in an imaginative way.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Wine Decanter with Two Fighting Sea Horses

Master of the Medici Banquet Decanters

Date
1650/1670
Medium
pen and brown ink with blue wash over graphite on light beige laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 32.8 x 23.8 cm (12 15/16 x 9 3/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2007.111.62
Credit line
Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, Purchased as the Gift of Vincent and Linda Buonanno
Time span
1601 to 1650
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Florentine
  • Horse
  • Decanter
Provenance

Thomas Tomkins (1743 - 1816). (sale, Mr. Hickman's Gallery, London, 25-28 February 1818, no. 289). Robert Stayner Holford [1808-1892]; his son, Sir George Lindsay Holford, K.V.O.C. [1860-1926]; (his sale, Sotheby's London, 22 May 1928, no. 29B). (sale, Christie's London, 18 March 1975, no. 80). Wolfgang Ratjen, Munich; purchased 2007 by NGA.

Inscription

lower center in brown ink: Le lettere A e B denotano i canali da empire il bicchiero, et i Canali sono due p[er] poter da uno / mettere vino bianco, e dall'altro vino rosso, i Cavalli Marini si empiranno di vino bianco / et l'altri mostri marini di vino rosso. (The letters A and B indicate the channels to fill the cup, and there are two channels so that one may pour white wine in one and red wine in the other. The seahorses will be filled with white wine and the other creatures with red) (trans. William Breazeale).

NGA object ID 139306. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.