Bit Boss with the Rape of Europa

This ornamental boss, made of gilded bronze, originally decorated one of the sides of a horse bit. Its center is decorated with a scene in relief showing the abduction of the princess Europa by Jupiter as a bull, followed by a flying Cupid shooting an arrow at her breast. The rim is cast with imitation pearls, diamonds and fleur-de-lis. The scene seems partly inspired by the Rape of Europa engraved ca. 1590 by Hendrick Goltzius, while the bull also recalls the same event represented on a mid-17th century Netherlandish bronze plaque made by an anonymous goldsmith, today in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, which was freely inspired by Titian's painting on the same subject (known through prints). While at this time most of the bronze bit bosses were mass produced by founders, the quality of the relief and chasing here indicate that this piece is rather the work of a talented goldsmith.

The original bit and its ornaments must have been a unique luxury piece commissioned by a wealthy rider.

Credit: Rogers Fund, 1920