Sicilian, Trapani, first half of the 17th century

Spanish private collection

Trapani is the oldest and most renowned centre for coral craftsmanship, a precious material drawn from the sea, whose blood-red colour has, from pagan Antiquity to Christianity, been endowed with apotropaic virtues. The workshops of this port, located at the westernmost tip of Sicily, an ideal position for maritime trade across the Mediterranean basin as well as proximity to vast coral banks, were most active between the 17th and 18th centuries. They distinguished themselves in the production of cultural and luxury objects, combining carved and polished coral elements—whose difficult extraction further enhanced its preciousness—with gilt copper mounts. Some of the more elaborate pieces were enriched with painted enamel, as in the present example, and occasionally adorned with additional stones such as lapis lazuli.

The present writing nécessaire is decorated with a floral motif in the purest Baroque style. The hearts of the flowers, accentuated with touches of white enamel, together with the finely crafted feet in the form of reclining griffins, testify to the refinement achieved by this outstanding Sicilian craftsmanship. A comparable inkwell, dating from the early 17th century, was published by A. Dameu (op. cit., no. 195, pl. XXVIIa); of similar shape, though without feet, it displays an identical floral decoration. Another comparable piece was published by M. Concetta Di Natale (op. cit., 2001, pp. 469–470, fig. 4b).

RELATED LITERATURE

M. Concetta Di Natale, Splendori di sicilia. Arte decorative dal Rinascimento al Barocco, exh. cat. Albergo delle Povere, Palermo, 2001;

A. Dameu, L'Arte Trapanese del Corallo, Milan, 1964; 

Coralli, Talismani Sacri e Profani. Trapani, exh. cat. Museo Regionale, Pepoli, 1986;

G.C. Ascione, Gloria del Corallo a Napoli dal XVI al XIX Secolo, Naples, 1991; 

M. Concetta Di Natale, Il Corallo Trapanese nei secoli XVI e XVII, Brescia, 2002.