Stove plate: King, angel, and peasant under arcades

This plate made of cast iron measures around 97 x 93 cm and is decorated with religious motifs in three arcades. In the centre stand an angel holding a coat of arms. To the left, there is man with a cap and a chalice in his left hand. In the right-hand arcade stands a peasant, who holds a flail in his left hand, and a pot in his right. The arcades are connected at the top by a band of Gothic minuscule lettering. Stove plates like these were part of box ovens, which were used for heating from the late 15th century onwards. Box ovens consisted of several cast iron plates screwed together. The stove plate shown here was made by the form cutter and iron caster Hans Pender, who it is presumed was based in Siegen between 1520 and 1542. His signature can be found on the shield held by the angel in the centre of the picture.