aquamanile

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Naomi Feuchtwanger-Sarig asked

Dear curator, I wonder if you can provide more details about the inscription: dating and interpretation. Thank you.
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Naomi, this water sprinkler can be dated in the 13th century, 1250-1300. The inscription is: PEDER.NIELSEN EIS MPG - in which the G is printed the other way around. The sprinkler has the shape of a proudly standing lion, but the handle is a dragon that bites the lion in its neck. When you would handle the object, water would be pouring out of the lion's maul. In general one would interpret the image as a warning against evil. When you want to know what it meant at the time when it was meant you would need to conduct extensive research about local and temporal circumstances. I hope this answers your question a bit. Kind regards, Els

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Title	aquamanile
Material and technique	Brass
Object type	Aquamanile > Water pitcher > Pitcher > Tableware > Kitchen and household > Utensil
Location	This object is in storage

Dimensions	Height 25 cm Width 12 cm Length 24 cm
Artists	Yellow caster: Anoniem
Accession number	KB 59 (KN&V)
Credits	Gift Coll. Mr J.W. Frederiks, 1994
Department	Applied Arts & Design
Acquisition date	1994
Creation date	in 1250-1300
Research	Show research Alma
Material	Brass > Copper > Common metal > Metal > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Aquamanile > Water pitcher > Pitcher > Tableware > Kitchen and household > Utensil
Geographical origin	Germany > Western Europe > Europe
Place of manufacture	Hildesheim > Germany > Western Europe > Europe