Existing comment:
Judgement of Paris Table
1659
David Schwestermüller I
Prince Paul Esterházy I, the first owner of this splendid Baroque ensemble, was vice-regent of Hungary and held high offices at the imperial court in Vienna. He likely acquired the imposing table, one of Europe's earliest pieces of silver furniture, from Emperor Leopold I. Depicted at its center is the mythological Judgement of Paris, in which the young prince decides a contest between three goddesses. The sconces are adorned with portraits of Paul Esterházy and his wife, Ursula, in the style of Roman emperors. Both the sconces and gueridons are made of a base metal covered with a thin layer of silver. The fact they are not solid silver probably saved them from the melting pot. |