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Not currently on display at the V&A

Judith with the head of Holofernes

Relief
ca. 1690-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Netherlands (made)

This ivory relief is carved in the Netherlands by an unknown artist from the circle of Francis van Bossuit, in ca. 1690-1700. The concave relief is depicting Judith with the head of Holofernes and is the pendent relief to a relief depicting David and the Head of Goliath (Mus. No. 1143-1905).
This composition is likewise highly likely to depend from a painted or engraved source, although it has not been so far located.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Plaques & Plaquettes
Myths & Legends
SCRAN
Object type
Relief
TitleJudith with the head of Holofernes (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved ivory
Ivory
Carving
Brief description
Relief, carved ivory, depicting Judith with the head of Holofernes, by an unknown artist from the circle of Francis van Bossuit, Netherlands, ca. 1690-1700
Physical description
Concave carved ivory relief depicting Judith with the head of Holofernes. Judith, seated on a curtained bed, wearing loose drapery, is facing to the left with head turned towards her left shoulder, her left hand holding up a thin undergarment, her right resting on the head of Holofernes which lies on a chest; a mantle is draped over her arms and lower limbs.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15cm
  • Width: 10.8cm
Credit line
Bequeathed by Mr T. C. Waller
Object history
Bequeathed by the late T.C. Waller. in 1905.
Subjects depicted
Head
Bed
Judith
Holofernes
Summary
This ivory relief is carved in the Netherlands by an unknown artist from the circle of Francis van Bossuit, in ca. 1690-1700. The concave relief is depicting Judith with the head of Holofernes and is the pendent relief to a relief depicting David and the Head of Goliath (Mus. No. 1143-1905).
This composition is likewise highly likely to depend from a painted or engraved source, although it has not been so far located.
Associated object
1143-1905 (Pair)
Bibliographic references
  • List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1905 - 1908. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1905, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, 1909, p. 218
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929, p. 74
  • Theuerkauff, Christian, ed. Elfenbein, Sammlung Reiner Winkler, Vol II, Munich, 1994, p. 114, cat. no. 48, note 12
  • Theuerkauff, Christian, 'Zu Francis van Bossuit (1635-1692), ', in: Wallraf-Richartz-Jahrbuch, XXXVII, 1975, p. 175, cat. 31, fig 64
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 99
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
1144-1905

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Record createdOctober 27, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106793/judith-with-the-head-of-relief-unknown/
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