Panel thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Panel

1650-1658 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This leather panel depicts Christ's crucifixion with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Christ and St John. It would have served, framed, for personal devotion.

The design of this panel was formed by pressing damp, pliable leather over a mould, and enhancing the design with some embossing from the reverse of the panel. Once the design had been worked it was covered with silver leaf (and possibly coloured glazes), giving a beautiful and subtle modelling to low relief. As the technique lends itself to reproduction, it is not surprising that 16 other virtually identical panels have been traced.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Embossed Gilt Leather Panel
  • Frame
Materials and techniques
Embossed and gilded leather
Brief description
Framed leather panel with a scene of the Crucifixion. The design is taken from an engraving by Maarten de Vos.
Physical description
Embossed gilt leather panel, with a representation of the crucification with Mary, S.John and Mary Magdalene. In the clouds the symbols of the four evangelists are depicted: left the bull and the angel, right: the lion and the eagle.
The panel is mounted on its original wooden panel, with a filling of papier-mache.
Dimensions
  • Height: 41cm
  • Width: 28.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
MORS REDIVIVA P... (Embossed stamp near feet of Virgin)
Translation
Death renewed
Credit line
Given by Miss Joan Glaisyer
Object history
Identical panels in V&A Museum no. 55-1876; Deutsches Ledermuseum, Offenbach am Main, inv.no. 2524; coll Colomer-Munmany, Vic (Sp.), inv.no. C812; Schloss Köpenick, Berlin, inv.no. K 9239b; Musée Episcopal, Vic (Sp.), inv.no. 6045; Musée National de la Renaissance, Ecouen, inv.no. A15062; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv.no. BK 1994-1; Museum of Leathercraft, Northampton, inv.no. unknown; Church in Somerset. (letter J.W. Waterer 27/02/1973, RP 79/2457). Identical panels from a French private collection and from the Deutsches Tapetenmuseum, Kassel, Germany are illustrated and discussed in Jean-Pierre Fournet, Cuirs Dorées, "Cuirs de Cordoue", un Art Européen (Château de Saint-Remy-en-l'Eau: Editions Monelle Hayot, 2019), p. 151, figs. 240a&b.


E.F. Koldeweij, 'Een schilderij van de koning van Sweden in goutleer', Antiek 23 (1989) no. 9, 482-487, i.e. fig. 3
Production
Attributed to the De Rijsende Son factory of the Van den Heuvel family
Summary
This leather panel depicts Christ's crucifixion with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Christ and St John. It would have served, framed, for personal devotion.

The design of this panel was formed by pressing damp, pliable leather over a mould, and enhancing the design with some embossing from the reverse of the panel. Once the design had been worked it was covered with silver leaf (and possibly coloured glazes), giving a beautiful and subtle modelling to low relief. As the technique lends itself to reproduction, it is not surprising that 16 other virtually identical panels have been traced.
Associated object
55-1876 (Duplicate)
Bibliographic references
  • E.F. Koldeweij, 'Een schilderij van de koning van Sweden in goutleer', Antiek 23 (1989) no. 9, 482-487
  • F. Scholten, E. Koldeweij e.a., Goudleer Kinkarakawa, Zwolle 1989, cat.no. 24
  • Koldeweij, E.F., Goudleer in de Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Provinciën: nationale ontwikkelingen en de Europese context, Amsterdam/Leiden 1998 (5 vols.) (unpublished thesis Leiden university) (a copy of in the woodwork department)
Collection
Accession number
W.8&A-1980

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Record createdDecember 19, 2005
Record URL
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