Current Location: Gallery 31 (Armoury)
Maker(s)
Maker:
Apollonio di Niccolò Perusini
Entities
Categories
Description
Culverin or canon, bronze, patinated dark brown, ornamented with different heads of satyrs on the cascable and chase, a relief inscription 'POLONIVS NICOLAI PERVSINI FECIT MDXXXIII', and a rectangular panel enclosing a standing warrior being crowned by Victory
Culverin or canon, Bronze, cast, chased, and patinated dark brown. Cast in three circular stages with projecting trunnions, and moulded muzzle, astragals, and sighted base-ring, decorated in high relief on the front stage of the chase, and on the prominent cascable with different bearded heads of satyrs. The satyr on the chase has upstanding hair, and an open mouth with jagged teeth. The satyr on the cascable has short scrolling horns. On the rear stage of the chase there is a rectangular panel in relief enclosing a standing warrior crowned by Victory, and on the reinforce is an inscription in relief, 'POLONIVS NICOLAI PERVSINI FECIT MDXXXIII'.
Notes
History note: Probably the Duc d'Uzès; Galerie Ratton-Ladrière, 14 rue de Marignan, 75008 Paris; Peter Finer, The Old Rectory, Ilmington, Warwickshire, CV36 46Q; Danny Katz Ltd., 13 Old Bond Street, London, W1S 4SX, from whom purchased
Legal notes
Purchased with the Boscawen Fund, and a grant from the National Art Collections Fund
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Bought
(2003-12)
by
Daniel Katz Ltd
Dating
16th Century, Mid
Production date:
AD 1533
: dated in Roman numerals MDXXXIII
Note
It is uncertain whether the maker's name indicates Apollonio son of Niccolò (a) of Perugia, or whether Perusini was his father's second name. Perusini is a common surname in the area of Casteldurante, Marche
The muzzle of this small cannon has two 'faces' - from the side it appears to be a dragons head while from the top it is an old man. The cascable, at the very back, is a horned animal. It was probably made as a gift from one ruler, for example a prince or a king, to another but, as it completely unmarked, we will probably never know.
School or Style
Renaissance
People, subjects and objects depicted
Components of the work
Barret
Length 84 cm
Decoration
Materials used in production
brown, artificial
Patina
probably bronze
Copper alloy
Techniques used in production
Casting (process)
: Bronze, cast, chased, and patinated
Patinating
Inscription or legends present
- Text: POLONIVS NICOLAI PERVSINI FECIT MDXXXIII
- Location: On reinforce
- Method of creation: Cast integrally
- Type: Maker's name and date
References and bibliographic entries
Related exhibitions
Identification numbers
Accession number: M.4-2003
Primary reference Number: 98337
Entry form: 192
Fixed Asset Number: 14142
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 8 April 2025
Last processed: Wednesday 14 May 2025
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
