Theodoor Rogiers, Decorative silver ewer and basin

The silver ewer and basin by Theodoor Rogiers were presented to guests during a banquet so they could wash their hands. However, this set was more of a status symbol, which explains its opulence.

The set’s lavish decoration and slightly awkward shape betray its primary purpose. The ewer and basin were merely intended for display for visitors on a sideboard or tiered buffet along with similar grand pieces of tableware. The exquisite repoussé and chasing is the work of Theodoor Rogiers, a famous silversmith who even had the English king as a patron. He was so renowned that he was even included in the Iconographie, a series of engraved portraits of famous artists, scholars and statesmen.

Did Rubens provide some input for the design of this set? The fountain on the basin suggests this. It looks suspiciously similar to the statue in Rubens’s garden. The depicted themes are also very Rubentian: the Triumph of Venus adorns the ewer while the basin tells the Biblical story of chaste Susannah, who is spied upon by two elders while bathing. The wide border depicts the Four Elements, separated from each other by the goat Amathea, a monogrammed coat of arms, a triton (a merman) and a nereid (a sea nymph), respectively.

In the ancient tradition, Susannah symbolised chastity and the redeemed soul, but in the Renaissance, she was mainly used as an excuse to depict female nudity. In this silver retelling of this story, the two men even try to undress her. The composition is clearly inspired by Rubens and possibly a confirmation of his involvement in its creation. In all likelihood, he did not design this himself.

Did you spot the common theme? That’s right, all the scenes refer to water. While Susannah and the Elders sit by the fountain, Venus - the goddess of love - is born from the sea and crowned by the Three Graces. The ewer’s handle is shaped like a Triton holding a sea serpent aloft. The other sections are decorated with zephyrs, masks, grotesques, satyrs, putti, vines, egg-and-dart patterns and foliage.

This showpiece remained in the possession of Rubens’s heirs for almost 400 years until two art lovers purchased it in 1999 at an auction in Monaco. The generous patrons immediately donated it to the King Baudouin Foundation. Since then, it has been preserved where it belongs, namely in the Rubens House.