Button
1700-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Lapland and Iceland are the most remote areas of north-west Europe. Their traditional jewellery retains many medieval characteristics lost elsewhere.
Women in Iceland wore large buttons of this kind, typically in sets of three, to hold their decorative aprons in place at the waistband. Many were round or hemispherical, but shallow, drum-shaped buttons like this one are typically and uniquely Icelandic.
This button is hollow, and made from sheet silver. It has a gilded picture of the crucifixion on the front, surrounded by crowns and scrolls of imitation filigree. It looks medieval, but probably dates from the 18th or early 19th century.
Women in Iceland wore large buttons of this kind, typically in sets of three, to hold their decorative aprons in place at the waistband. Many were round or hemispherical, but shallow, drum-shaped buttons like this one are typically and uniquely Icelandic.
This button is hollow, and made from sheet silver. It has a gilded picture of the crucifixion on the front, surrounded by crowns and scrolls of imitation filigree. It looks medieval, but probably dates from the 18th or early 19th century.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Repousse silver, gilded on the front |
Brief description | Drum-shaped silver button with gilded image of the crucifixion on the front, Iceland, 18th-19th century. |
Physical description | Large hollow drum-shaped button with gilded front. On the front an image of the crucifixion, with the Virgin and another saint (Mary Magdalene?) on either side of the cross, within a border of imitation filigree scrolls and four stylised crowns. A large loop shank on the back. |
Dimensions |
|
Production | Worn by women |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | Lapland and Iceland are the most remote areas of north-west Europe. Their traditional jewellery retains many medieval characteristics lost elsewhere. Women in Iceland wore large buttons of this kind, typically in sets of three, to hold their decorative aprons in place at the waistband. Many were round or hemispherical, but shallow, drum-shaped buttons like this one are typically and uniquely Icelandic. This button is hollow, and made from sheet silver. It has a gilded picture of the crucifixion on the front, surrounded by crowns and scrolls of imitation filigree. It looks medieval, but probably dates from the 18th or early 19th century. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 722-1888 |
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Record created | June 29, 2007 |
Record URL |
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