Window
ca. 1523-1535 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This window originally faced into the courtyard of the Chateau de Montal (Lot), in the Dordogne, some 50 kilometres north-east of Cahors. It was built for Jeanne de Balzac, the lady of the castle, and the Balzac arms are shown combined with those of Jeanne's late husband, Amaury de Montal (d. before 1520), in the lozenge-shaped shield at the centre.
Much of the decorative sculpture from the Chateau, including this window and another now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the date 1534, was taken down and sold at auction in 1903. Several of the pieces were subsequently retrieved and returned to the building in a thorough restoration in the decade after the sale.
This piece was sold on the 11th December of that year. Follwoing the restoration of the château, copies were made to replace the gap left by this fine piece, and for the other similar piece now in the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art.
The V&A acquired the window in 1905, at a time when the museum collected large-scale architectural sculpture on a regular basis, or took plaster casts of important architecturual features. In this case, the museum was able to acquire the real thing.
Much of the decorative sculpture from the Chateau, including this window and another now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the date 1534, was taken down and sold at auction in 1903. Several of the pieces were subsequently retrieved and returned to the building in a thorough restoration in the decade after the sale.
This piece was sold on the 11th December of that year. Follwoing the restoration of the château, copies were made to replace the gap left by this fine piece, and for the other similar piece now in the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art.
The V&A acquired the window in 1905, at a time when the museum collected large-scale architectural sculpture on a regular basis, or took plaster casts of important architecturual features. In this case, the museum was able to acquire the real thing.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 44 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Carved stone |
| Brief description | Dormer window with arms of Jeanne de Balzac and the motto PLVS : DESPOIR ('No more hope'), carved stone, from the Château de Montal, France, ca. 1523-1535 |
| Physical description | Large dormer window in stone from a château. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'PLVS : DESPOIR'
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by J. H. Fitzhenry, Esq. |
| Object history | This window originally formed part of the Château of Montal (Lot), some 50 kilometres north-east of Cahors. The mansion of Lot was built by Jeanne de Balzac in the years after 1523, and her arms impaled with those of her late husband Amaury de Montal (died by 1520) are in the lozenge-shaped shield. Her arms are azure three escalops argent, a chief or (for Montal) and azure three couped saltires argent, on a chief or as many couped saltires of the field (for Balzac) dimidiated. Her shield takes the form of a lozenge, or diamond, shape. Around the shield is decorative mantling of ribbons. Facing into the château's courtyard, this dormer window is also decorated with two medallions containing classicising busts which flank the coat of arms. Above, in a niche, is a statue of a headless figure in Roman armour holding a skull. Underneath the pierced finial on ther summit of the window is the motto: 'PLVS:DESPOIR' , 'No more hope'. |
| Historical context | In 1881 much of the fabric of the building was auctioned in Paris. However, at the start of the twentieth century what remained of the château was bought by the collector M. Fenaille, who persuaded some museums (such as the Louvre) to return pieces they had purchased at the sale. He made copies of those features he was unable to retrieve. The V&A was presented with the window in 1905, at a time when the museum collected large-scale architectural sculpture on a regular basis, or took plaster casts of important architectural features. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This window originally faced into the courtyard of the Chateau de Montal (Lot), in the Dordogne, some 50 kilometres north-east of Cahors. It was built for Jeanne de Balzac, the lady of the castle, and the Balzac arms are shown combined with those of Jeanne's late husband, Amaury de Montal (d. before 1520), in the lozenge-shaped shield at the centre. Much of the decorative sculpture from the Chateau, including this window and another now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art with the date 1534, was taken down and sold at auction in 1903. Several of the pieces were subsequently retrieved and returned to the building in a thorough restoration in the decade after the sale. This piece was sold on the 11th December of that year. Follwoing the restoration of the château, copies were made to replace the gap left by this fine piece, and for the other similar piece now in the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art. The V&A acquired the window in 1905, at a time when the museum collected large-scale architectural sculpture on a regular basis, or took plaster casts of important architecturual features. In this case, the museum was able to acquire the real thing. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 531:1 to 42 -1905 |
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| Record created | June 27, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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