Mich(a)el Mann the great master of miniatures OF 16th AND 17th CENTURY
Journal Title: Muzealnictwo - Year 2015, Vol 56, Issue
Abstract
Among many different kinds of works of art and artistic craft, one may also readily find one which concerns a group of classical objects from the 16th and 17th centuries, but in miniature versions, including military ones, namely handguns, long-gun firearms and cannons, the so-called „jewellery weapons” as well as miniature boxes. They are quaint relics, works of the highest value, very expensive and extremely rare. They were created as a result of the harmonic merging of gold, the precious ore, the greatest craftsmanship, extraordinary manual abilities and unique style. Thanks to their undeniable value, once they appeared they became sought-after, luxurious and unique products. At the turn of the 17th century, their main producer was Mich(a)el Mann, together with his brother Conrad, who were active on the territory of the Holy Roman Empire with a highly-specialised workshop, regardless of where they operated. Mich(a)el Mann, as indicated by two lexical sources, locksmith and gunsmith, was born in about 1560 in Augsburg and died after 1630, most probably in Wöhrd, then on the outskirts of Nuremberg. He married Ursula Rempf in 1589. At the same time he received civic privileges in Augsburg, and the gunsmith Michael Sattler was one of his guarantors. He received craftsman’s privileges on 19 February 1589 when his name was entered into the guild book as a gunsmith. He appears to have stopped working in Augsburg in 1616, and a few years later he started working in Fürth and Wöhrd. On 13 June 1623, the council of Nuremberg refused to grant him civic priviliges. Of the very small group of mannerist masters of miniatures, Mich(a)el Mann is considered to be one of the most prominent representatives active principally in Nuremberg and Augsburg. He was the creator of sophisticated luxurious objects, extremely difficult to manufacture, which may be divided into two categories: ‘jewellery weapons’ and miniature ‘love boxes’ (in German Minnekästchen). Thanks to them, Mich(a)el Mann, and to a lesser extent his brother Conrad, gained European renown. When admiring his miniature works of micro-mechanics, it is worth remembering that they were created during a period when adequate precise machinery or specialised equipment and tools were not available. These objects, skilful and meticulously executed with great attention to detail, often on a scale 1:10 with respect to their real counterparts, demonstrate their creators’ manual skills. These objects, now to be found in European museums, also deserve the attention of Polish museum professionals, to be treated as valuable and worth seeking, so that lovers of old artistic craft and sophisticated collectors may admire them in our museums.
Authors and Affiliations
Zygmunt K. Jagodziński
Keywords
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