The Arms of Cardinal Wolsey
Relief
1525 (made), ca. 1905 (cast)
1525 (made), ca. 1905 (cast)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The original terracotta coat of arms is at Hampton Court. When Henry VIII (r. 1509-47) took possession of Cardinal Wolsey's palace, he superimposed his own arms and motto over Wolsey's. The Cardinal's arms remained concealed until the early 19th century, when the royal arms were taken down for restoration. Wolsey's Latin motto, 'DOMINVS MICHI ADIVTOR' (Lord be my helper) is incised beneath his heraldic device. The terracotta must have been produced by one of the Florentine artists who had come over to work in Britain in the 16th century. The plaster cast was commissioned by the Museum relatively late in the formation of the cast collection, after it was recommended in 1904. The cast itself, also made by an Italian craftsman in London, cost £15, and in addition £4 10s. was paid for scaffolding to be erected at Hampton Court.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Arms of Cardinal Wolsey (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plaster cast |
| Brief description | Plaster cast of the terracotta arms of Cardinal Wolsey, in the Clock Court, Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court, by an unidentified Florentine sculptor, Florence, 1525, cast probably by Lorenzo Giuntini, ca. 1905 |
| Physical description | Plaster cast of the terracotta arms of Cardinal Wolsey, by an unidentified Florentine sculptor, 1525, in the Clock Court, Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court, (over Anne Boleyn's Gateway and beneath the Astronomical clock). |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased from Lorenzo Giuntini in 1905 for £15 together with museum no. 1905-2. |
| Historical context | The motto of Cardinal Wolsey (1471-1530), "DOMINVS MICHI ADIVTOR", is incised beneath the arms at Hampton Court. When Henry VIII (reigned 1509-47) took possession of Wolsey's palace, he superimposed his own arms and motto over Wolsey's. The latter's arms remained concealed until the early 19th century (pre 1845), when the king's arms were taken down for restoration. At the time of their discovery, the arms were surmounted by a lunette containing the monogram of TW with a cord and tassels and the date 1525, shown in the engraving (from the Gentleman's Magazine, XXIV, 1845, facing page 593). This lunette disappeared at some time before 1894. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The original terracotta coat of arms is at Hampton Court. When Henry VIII (r. 1509-47) took possession of Cardinal Wolsey's palace, he superimposed his own arms and motto over Wolsey's. The Cardinal's arms remained concealed until the early 19th century, when the royal arms were taken down for restoration. Wolsey's Latin motto, 'DOMINVS MICHI ADIVTOR' (Lord be my helper) is incised beneath his heraldic device. The terracotta must have been produced by one of the Florentine artists who had come over to work in Britain in the 16th century. The plaster cast was commissioned by the Museum relatively late in the formation of the cast collection, after it was recommended in 1904. The cast itself, also made by an Italian craftsman in London, cost £15, and in addition £4 10s. was paid for scaffolding to be erected at Hampton Court. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | REPRO.1905-1 |
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| Record created | September 29, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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