Rare pair of Armigers, Venetian workshop Probably 17th century

A rare pair of coat-of-arm holders that could be seen side by side over an ancient marble portal. This type of decoration, possibly andiron ornaments, was common in the production of Venetian-Paduan foundries between the 16th and 17th centuries. Notable examples are attributed to Tiziano Aspetti or Gerolamo Campagna.

Complementary couples, such as Mars and Minerva or Jupiter and Juno, often decorated fireplaces in the apex of complex bronze pyramids filled with dragons and cherubs. The other possibility, given the small size of these bronzes, is to consider them as furniture or cabinet decorations. The shallow depth of the backside, typical for artifacts intended only for frontal viewing, supports this theory.