Sapieha beaker
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The silver Sapieha beaker is a 16th-century beaker, which originally belonged to Grygor Sapieha and was made in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The
Sapieha The House of Sapieha (; be, Сапега, ''Sapieha''; lt, Sapiega) is a Polish-Lithuanian noble and magnate family of Lithuanian and Ruthenian origin,Энцыклапедыя ВКЛ. Т.2, арт. "Сапегі" descending from the med ...
family played an important role in Lithuania's history through much of the 16th century. In 2007 the beaker was auctioned at
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...
London for £132,500.Christies
A Rare and Important Parcel-Gilt Silver Beaker Made in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Retrieved on 2008-06-13
At the time the purchaser remained anonymous.


Beaker

The unmarked silver part gilt beaker was made in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania around 1560. Its height is and total weight is . The beaker's form is a waisted cylinder with flared lip; the border to the flat base is engraved with gilded foliage and encircled by two mystical animals, which resemble serpents. Their scaly tails coil round a moon-shaped face, their bodies engraved with inscription and with foliage at the points they cross. The early Slavonic language inscription reads: ''This cup was made for master Gregory of Orsha, for friendship to those who drink from it for the good of their souls, in the year 1560, the month of March, on the first day''. The beaker is also engraved with a heart-shaped pendant and double cross. Christie's experts suggest that an early version of Sapieha's coat of arms is depicted on the beaker. It is believed that the beaker belonged to Grygor Sapieha, younger brother of Lew Sapieha.Lietuvos Ryta
Už Lietuvos didikų relikviją – milijonas litų
Retrieved on 2008-06-13
Likely this beaker was presented as a christening present. Later the beaker changed hands and in the early 20th century it finally appeared in the collection of Eugéne Lubovitch.Blasas.l
Mecenatai Respublikos Prezidentui įteikė Lietuvai padovanotą taurę
Retrieved on 2008-06-13
The Sapieha beaker was exhibited in a number of venues, including "L'Art Russe: Exposition d'Icones et d'Orfévreries Russes", 1931 ( Brussels and Ghent); "Argenterie Russe Ancienne de la Collection Eugéne Lubovitch", 1932 (Paris); "Exhibition of Russian Art", 1935 (London). In 1978 it was auctioned at Sotheby's Zürich. In 2007 the beaker was sold at Christie's for £132,500 (US$274,408), to an anonymous buyer.


Gift to Lithuania

In June 2008 it was revealed that it had been bought by the Belgian businessmen brothers Ortiz, founders of IKI supermarkets (
Palink Palink is the operator of the "IKI" supermarket chain in Lithuania. History Palink was founded by the brothers George, Oliver and Nicolas Ortiz. The first store was opened in 1992 in Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the ca ...
), who have been living in Lithuania for close to twenty years. On June 12, 2008 George, Oliver and Nicolas Ortiz presented the beaker to Lithuania's president Valdas Adamkus as a gift to Lithuania.Spaudos tranyba
President presented with a beaker as a gift to Lithuania
Retrieved on 2008-06-13
The presentation ceremony was held in the
Presidential Palace, Vilnius The Presidential Palace ( lt, Prezidentūra), located in Vilnius Old Town, is the official office of the President of Lithuania. The palace dates back to the 14th century and during its history it has undergone various reconstructions, supervis ...
. Adamkus thanked the brothers and noted that "A historic relic, a beaker of the 16th century, comes back to Lithuania. This means that Lithuania becomes richer, more spiritually than financially". The Head of State added that "In the years of occupation, cultural wealth was pillaged off museums, churches and archives; therefore, every testimony of history that comes back to Lithuania is exceptional to us". Brothers Ortiz asked that the beaker be displayed publicly so that the people of Lithuania could have access to it. The beaker was placed in the custody of the
Lithuanian Art Museum Lithuanian National Museum of Art is the largest national museum in Lithuania collecting, restoring, and conserving art as well as historical objects of cultural value while presenting artefacts of national importance in an astonishing number of ...
, and will be exhibited in the
Royal Palace of Lithuania The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės valdovų rūmai Vilniaus žemutinėje pilyje; pl, Zamek Dolny w Wilnie) is a palace in Vilnius, Lithuania. It was originally constructed in the 15th century ...
.


References

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External links


Video from ceremony
Retrieved on 2008-06-13 * http://www.slic.org.au/News/news_220608.htm Lithuanian art Sapieha