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Temperantia Dish
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Figure 168: Temperantia Dish, relief-decorated display pewter, by Francois Briot, 16th century. In the Louvre, Paris. Diameter 45 cm.
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Temperantia Dish

pewter by Briot
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Figure 168: Temperantia Dish, relief-decorated display pewter, by Francois Briot, 16th century. In the Louvre, Paris. Diameter 45 cm.
Figure 168: Temperantia Dish, relief-decorated display pewter, by Francois Briot, 16th century. In the Louvre, Paris. Diameter 45 cm.

The Temperantia Dish is a significant piece of pewter work created by the renowned French pewterer Fran\u00e7ois Briot between 1585 and 1590. Pewter is a tin-based alloy, historically used for domestic utensils, with its origins dating back to Roman times. Early pewter often contained lead, making it less safe for food contact, but modern pewter, typically composed of tin, antimony, and copper, is safe and durable.12

The Temperantia Dish is named after the allegorical figure of Temperance (Temperantia) depicted in its center. This dish exemplifies the "display pewter" (Edelzinn) technique, which involved casting pewter in molds to create relief decorations. This artistic approach elevated pewter from a purely utilitarian material to a medium for brilliant artistic expression, with pieces like the Temperantia Dish valued as showpieces.1

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. pewter
  2. metalwork - 16th century to modern

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