Door thumbnail 1
Door thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 64b, The Simon Sainsbury Gallery

Door

ca.1400 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This door probably belonged to a major public building in the German city of Nuremberg because it is decorated with the arms of the city. The pine door is covered with sheet iron that contains a lozenge shaped design. In addition to the arms of the city, two other symbols can be found within the lozenges: the displayed single-headed eagle of the King of Germany, and the rampant double-tailed lion of the King of Bohemia. The presence of these animals suggests that the door dates to the late fourteenth century because both Charles IV (1316-1378) and Wenceslas (1361-1400) were both kings of Germany and Bohemia.

The use of iron on doors was extremely practical as it made them more robust and able to protect a building from the threats of the outside world. This example has a small iron grille known as a guichet, which allows the occupants of the building to see who was outside the door. This lozenge-shaped opening is kept secure through the use of iron trellis-work that criss-crosses across the guichet.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embossed sheet iron
Brief description
Pine door covered with embossed sheet iron, the decoration incorporates the arms of Nuremberg, ca. 1400.
Physical description
Pine door covered with embossed sheet iron. The decoration incorporates the arms of Nuremberg, the single-headed eagle of the German king and the double-tailed lion of the king of Bohemia. The door has an arched top, a grated hatch in the shape of a diamond. The diamond shaped panels are held in place by diagonally intersecting bands with nails, the heads of the nails are shaped like petals.
Dimensions
  • Height: 181cm
  • Width: 99cm
  • Depth: 12.5cm
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Style
Gallery label
DOOR Wood and sheet iron Germany; late 15th century M.254-1921 Sheet iron panels on a wooden frame; the lozenge-shaped panels stamped with eagles displayed, a lion rampant and the heraldic arms of Nuremberg. The panels are held in position by diagonally intersecting bands with rosette-headed nails. Bought in Nuremberg c.1882.(07/1994)
Object history
The register indicates the door was originally acquired in Nuremberg in about 1882, possibly by Miss Agnes M Christian who sold it to the V&A for £50. Door knocker (M.255-1921) was included in the sale.

Historical significance: Marian Campbell suggests in Decorative Ironwork that decoration of this type (depicting the symbols of the kings of Germany and Bavaria) indicate it was made for a public building. She suggests that it was made either in the reign of Charles IV (r.1346-78) or of Wenceslas (r.1376-1400), as each reigned as both king of Germany and Bohemia.
Subjects depicted
Associations
Summary
This door probably belonged to a major public building in the German city of Nuremberg because it is decorated with the arms of the city. The pine door is covered with sheet iron that contains a lozenge shaped design. In addition to the arms of the city, two other symbols can be found within the lozenges: the displayed single-headed eagle of the King of Germany, and the rampant double-tailed lion of the King of Bohemia. The presence of these animals suggests that the door dates to the late fourteenth century because both Charles IV (1316-1378) and Wenceslas (1361-1400) were both kings of Germany and Bohemia.

The use of iron on doors was extremely practical as it made them more robust and able to protect a building from the threats of the outside world. This example has a small iron grille known as a guichet, which allows the occupants of the building to see who was outside the door. This lozenge-shaped opening is kept secure through the use of iron trellis-work that criss-crosses across the guichet.
Bibliographic references
  • Marian Campbell, Decorative Ironwork. London : V&A Publications, 1997. p.40.
  • J. Starkie Gardner. Ironwork: Part I. From the Earliest Times to the End of the Mediaeval Period
Collection
Accession number
M.254-1921

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Record createdJune 12, 2006
Record URL
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