Voussoir thumbnail 1
Voussoir thumbnail 2
+1
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 8, The William and Eileen Ruddock Gallery

Voussoir

ca. 1160 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This block was once part of the western doorway of the Temple Church in London. It supported one side of the round arch. Most of the block would have been bedded into the wall, leaving only the carved ornament exposed. The strong lines of the highly stylised leaves are characteristic of the Romanesque style.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Carved Caen stone
Brief description
Limestone impost block from the Temple church, London, ca. 1170-75
Physical description
A semi-hollow moulding carved in high relief with scrolling foliage with a bunch of berries on a straight stalk. The surface of this impost block has received extensive abrasion, with resultant loss of detail at the sides.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.3cm
  • Width: 52cm
  • Depth: 30cm
  • Weight: 23.5kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Credit line
Given by the Architectural Association
Object history
This Caen stone (a form of limestone) impost block or abacus was originally part the upper course of a pillar in the Temple Church (St. Mary the Virgin) in London. Pierced, scrolling foliage decorates the piece, which would have formed part of a an arch in the west doorway of the church. The present doorway at the Temple Church appears to be a Victorian replacement, or copy, of the Romanesque originals, of which the present piece is one, that are now in the V&A.

The Temple Church was consecrated on the 10th February 1185, but the church suffered clumsy restorations in recent times, as well as 'improvements' and repairs throughout its history, and finally pollution today, not to mention the air-raids by the Luftwaffe.
Historical context
An abacus or impost block is the flat slab on top of a capital.
Subject depicted
Summary
This block was once part of the western doorway of the Temple Church in London. It supported one side of the round arch. Most of the block would have been bedded into the wall, leaving only the carved ornament exposed. The strong lines of the highly stylised leaves are characteristic of the Romanesque style.
Bibliographic references
  • Williamson, Paul. Catalogue of Romanesque Sculpture. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. pp. 96-99.
  • Williamson, Paul. The West Doorway of the Temple Church in London. Burlington Magazine. CXXVII, 1985. p. 716.
  • Thurlby, Malcolm. Review of the Catalogue of Ronamesque Sculpture. RACAR. XII/I. 1985. pp. 74-75.
  • Gardam, C. L. M. Restorations of the Temple Church, London. In: Grant, Lindy, ed. Medieval Art, Architectire and Archeology in London. The British Archeological Association Conference Transactions for the Year 1984. Leeds: Manley and Son, 1990. pp. 104-105.
  • Kahn, Deborah. La sculpture romane en Angleterre : etat des questions. Bulletin monumental. 146, 1988. p. 340. n. 195.
  • Zarnecki, George. The West Doorway of the Temple Church in London. In: Becksmann, Rüdiger, ed. Beiträge zur Kunst des Mittelalters : Festschrift für Hans Wentzel zum 60. Geburtstag. Berlin: Mann, 1975. pp. 245-253.
  • Bottoms, Edward. The Royal Architectural Museum in the Light of New Documentary Evidence. Journal of the History of Collections. vol. 19, no. 1, 2007. pp. 120, 135-136. note. 66.
Collection
Accession number
A.22-1916

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 7, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest