Box with Episodes from the Life of the Spinola Family

In the 17th century various silversmiths from the Netherlands were active in the Italian city of Genoa. They were celebrated for their skills in rendering stories in very high relief. These plaquettes are made by the most famous of these craftsmen, Mattheus Melijn of Antwerp. They feature episodes from the life of the Spinola family, and show how a city can be conquered: Maria Spinola procured a duchy through the power of love, her brother Ambrogio through military might. Ambrogio Spinola was a celebrated military commander serving the Spanish crown and played a crucial role in the war between Spain and the Netherlands. Mounted on horseback, he here surveys the city of Jülich that was besieged by Spanish troops in 1622. He captured the city, which remained in Spanish hands until 1660.