拍品专文
The central scene illustrates an episode of Roman heroism that occurred when Rome was under siege by Lars Porsena, King of Clusium. A Roman nobleman, Gaius Mucius, disguised himself in a risky attempt to infiltrate the Clusian camp and assassinate Porsena, but mistakenly killed Porsena’s secretary, who was finely dressed as a decoy. Anticipating he would be tortured, Mucius held his right hand in a fire to demonstrate his defiance. Impressed by the Roman youth’s endurance and resolve, Porsena decided to release him. He became known as Scaevola (left-handed).
A stand with the same molded decoration around a central portrait, dated 1546, is in the Musée du Louvre; see Jeanne Giacomotti, Les majoliques des Musées nationaux, Paris, 1974, pp. 204-205, no. 663.
A stand with the same molded decoration around a central portrait, dated 1546, is in the Musée du Louvre; see Jeanne Giacomotti, Les majoliques des Musées nationaux, Paris, 1974, pp. 204-205, no. 663.