39i Antonio Tempesta. Ostrich Hunt from Hunting Scenes III, 1598.
Engraving. London, British Museum, in v. 1980-U.43 i-no. 412.
Photo: Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum. © The British
Museum.
charming pastoral scenes on the tabletop exemplify the
eighteenth-century Rococo emphasis on freely handled
naturalistic motifs and fanciful curvilinear forms.
According to a chronology of style established by
L. Moccia, this tabletop, executed during Saverio's stay
at the royal porcelain factory, falls within his third pe
riod of production, which is typified by predominantly
"French" subjects rendered in a delicate palette on a
white ground.^9 One scholar has suggested that Saverio's
mature style was formed as the artist, inspired by his
travels abroad, attempted to decorate maiolica with the
delicate designs more typical of porcelain.^10
Maiolica plaques, favored by the Grue family, were
developed as supremely pictorial objects from an origi
nally functional plate form. Saverio Grue's tabletop is
particularly innovative since it is an adaptation of the
circular maiolica plaque to serve a functional purpose.
The only other tabletop comparable to this one is a rect
angular example measuring approximately 76.2 by 106.7
cm attributed to the workshop of Carlo Antonio Grue
that sold at auction in 1986.^11 Other objects by Saverio
Grue that are similar to this tabletop include two
plaques decorated with classical scenes in a private39 j Antonio Tempesta (Italian, 15 5 5-1630). Deer Hunt from Hunting
Scenes III, 1598. Engraving. London, British Museum, inv. 1980-U.438-
no. 419. Photo: Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum.
© The British Museum.39K Antonio Tempesta. Elephant Hunt from Hunting Scenes III, 1598.
Engraving. London, British Museum, inv. i98o-u.437-no. 418.
Photo: Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum. © The British
Museum.228 Tabletop with Hunting Scenes