{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O87423"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87423/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK1957/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK1957/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK1957","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NR2164","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O87423/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O87423","accessionNumber":"M.136-1937","objectType":"Dish","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"By the early 16th century, brass dishes became greater in diameter, the depressions shallower and the flanges of the rims correspondingly wider. Pictorial themes continued to be used in decoration, but the wider bases afforded scope for an increasing use of abstract decoration. A central motif might be bounded by one or two concentric bands of decoration of either interlaced scroll like waves or lettering. This was not necessarily embossed with punches in the traditional manner but was often cast in the mould at an earlier stage in manufacturer. The inscriptions themselves were usually meaningless and merely incorporated into the overall design for their decorative value.\r\n\r\nThe subject in the centre of this dish alludes to a passage from the Old Testament which describes the two men sent ahead by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. Moses’ two spies carry a pole between them resting on their shoulders;  from it hangs a huge bunch of grapes.\r\n\r\nThe production of brass bowls was centred in Nuremberg, but other centres of brass production were Dinant in Flanders and its immediate neighbourhood, from Bouvignes to Aachen. Techniques and styles were copied with equal facility everywhere so that today it is difficult to assign a place of manufacture within Northern Europe to any dish produced during the 16th and 17th centuries.  The dispersal of refugee craftsmen, after the downfall of Dinant in 1466 is one reason for this, as is the fact that dishes exported form their area of manufacture provided prototypes for others to follow. \r\n\r\nThose exported to England were sometimes used as alms dishes.  Elsewhere their function was primarily secular. European paintings of domestic interiors show that they were frequently used in conjunction with lavabos or ewers, also in brass, for washing hands after a meal. Before the 17th century, when forks became customary, such equipment was essential to any dining table.","physicalDescription":"Dish, hammered in relief and stamped with a depiction of The Two Spies; around the central motif is a meaningless inscription.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hammered","id":"AAT54098"},{"text":"stamped","id":"x36244"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass, hammered in relief and stamped","categories":[{"text":"Food vessels & Tableware","id":"THES48952"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AK1957","2023NR2164"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES412568"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Dish","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"16th century","earliest":"1500-01-01","latest":"1600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"19.125","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1.625","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Brass dish, hammered in relief and stamped with The Two Spies, German, 16th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"One of a group of basins, dishes and bowls known by collectors as Nuremberg Brass Basins, even though many were made elsewhere.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Rahab and the Two Spies","id":"V269"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"figures","id":"x31098"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.136-1937"],"accessionNumberNum":"136","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1937,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-29","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-16","availableToBook":true}}