Silver Figure Depicting A Harlequin, Germany, Hanau, Late 19th Century

An elegant silver sculptural composition depicting a harlequin standing on a small barrel and holding a woven basket in his hands. The figure is rendered in the spirit of the commedia dell’arte and combines the liveliness of genre art with the decorative inventiveness characteristic of Late Historicism. The figure is dressed in a characteristic stage costume with raised buttons and a pointed cap. The surface of the costume is enlivened by turquoise and colored glass cabochons, creating a pictorial effect and emphasizing a stylization inspired by Renaissance and Neo-Renaissance models.

The sculpture is distinguished by a lively facial expression, confident modeling of the folds, and great finesse in the rendering of details. The barrel-shaped base, featuring imitation wooden staves and metal hoops, reinforces the theatrical and narrative character of the composition. This type of object is characteristic of the Hanau silversmith workshops of the second half of the 19th century, which gained international renown thanks to their masterful reinterpretations and free historical variations inspired by the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods. Thus, a distinct school of decorative silversmithing emerged in Hanau, combining artisanal finesse, artistic imagination, and collectors’ taste for historical styles.

Hallmarks: Master’s mark “G.R.” beneath a crown—Georg Roth & Co., Hanau; additional mark in the form of a stylized emblem; fineness marks in accordance with the tradition of the Hanau workshops. The Georg Roth mark is associated with Hanau silverware production from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, as the master silversmith worked within the local tradition of historically styled objects.

Dimensions: Height 21 cm. Width 9 cm.

Weight: 344 g.

Condition: Good overall condition with signs of use and age.

ID-ANTQ-16370