Rembrandt: arms and armor in his work

[fernando]

Hi Jim,
If you allow me, i will pick on the subsidiary topic and post here the so called "Gold cabasset of Goa", a master piece of Indo-Portuguese art.
It is indeed a repousse work in copper, covered with a thick layer of gold.
The motifs depicted are various, namely hunting scenes on horse and foot, with Europeans in rather pronounced "baloon" trousers, and a number of flowers, birds and animals, including monkeys with human faces.
It is presumed that this example was ordered by Vice-Roy Dom Diogo de Menezes. At that time Portuguese Vice-Roys fancied possessing and offering magnanimous gifts, in such extent that their excesses were forbidden by the King.
It is intriguing and not yet figured out why this cabasset arrived in Azores, being found there in the XIX century, deeply covered with pitch, naturaly with the intention to hide its gold covering. It was cleaned only in 1976. The other example known to exist, is the New York Metropolitan Museum, however in a poor condition, namely missing its gold cover and some of the buttons.
Of the same school is naturally the one in the painting you have posted in this thread opening, "The Man in the Golden Helmet", which might have been one captured by the Dutch in one of the several battles engaged in the Indic Ocean. This "Gold cabasset of Goa", was auctioned in Lisbon in 1989 for a non published price. I beleive it now belongs in the collection of Rainer Daehnhardt.

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