SATYR OIL LAMP 16th century

This oil lamp of rare elegance, shaped in the shape of a satyr's head, is an exceptional creation attributed to the talented sculptor from Padua, Severo da Ravenna. Dating from the first third of the 16th century, it finds its origins in the rich artistic region of northern Italy, probably in Mantua. This remarkable piece is distinguished by unique artistic and stylistic characteristics, testifying to the technical and creative mastery of its creator.

The sculpture depicts the head of a horned satyr, with vine leaves elaborately integrated into its hair. The open mouth of the head forms a beak, and at the top of the skull, the horns and a few strands of hair intertwine to make the artfully designed cover of the lamp. The flame of the lamp artistically emerges from the mouth of the satyr, whose grotesque face deliberately evokes ancient aesthetics, a predominant influence during the Italian Renaissance era.

The object's meticulously designed circular base contributes to its artistic character and visual balance. Every detail seems to have been carefully thought out to create a work of art that transcends its utilitarian function. The entire piece demonstrates the skillful fusion of classical tradition and artistic innovation specific to the Renaissance.

It is particularly fascinating to note that two other examples of this exceptional lamp are listed. One is carefully preserved at the Louvre Museum (inventory number OA 9557), while the other is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford (inventory number WA2005.87). This presence in prestigious collections highlights the artistic importance of the work, offering connoisseurs, art lovers and historians a rare opportunity to compare and study these pieces linked by their design and origin, while enriching our understanding of the creativity of Severo da Ravenna at the heart of the Italian Renaissance.

PERIOD : 16th century
DIMENSION : 9cm X 7cm
SIZE : 3.5" X 2.8"

Severo da Ravenna, born in Ravenna or Ferrara, was a major artist of the Renaissance and Mannerism, ranking among the authors of the most important and sought-after small bronzes of his time, alongside Andrea Briosco, the Antico, and a few others. Active from 1496 to 1543, he worked in Ravenna, Ferrara and Padua. Although specializing in small bronzes, his only documented work is the sculpture of Saint John the Baptist, commissioned in 1500 for the entrance to the Chapel of Saint Anthony in the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. His sculptures focused on religious themes, but he was most notable for his pagan subjects, such as dragons and satyrs, as well as the creation of functional objects such as inkwells, candlesticks and oil lamps. Praised by Pomponio Gaurico in his work De sculptura (1504), Severo da Ravenna was considered an ideal artist because of his many skills. The perfection of its "old-fashioned" style has sometimes led to attributive confusions, notably for a bronze bust kept at the Rijksmuseum, long mistaken for a bronze from the Roman era.