Alfred Daguet

Canine Attack M0106

Inventory Number
M0106Size
3 1/2 H x 5 1/2W x 5 1/2"DeepMaterial
metal, wood, glassPeriod
Art NouveauCountry of Origin
FranceYear Made
c1895Status
available

Description

Canine meets Chimera: havoc ensues. Or so goes the tale told by this dramatic metal box, set with glowing cabochons. The dreadful creature under attack, a monster worthy of Hieronymous Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, sports the modified head of a Gorgon, the hind end of a pig, and the webbed feet of an amphibian. While the scene clearly represents a struggle, it resists certain interpretation. In technique, the box and its ornamentation suggest jewelry, book covers, and reliquaries that were made for the elite of the medieval church and state.