Box
1500-1600 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Box of cypress wood with shaped interior compartments, possibly for a balance scale and weights. The box is decorated with intaglio carving, ink decoration and punched ornament, and shows the Annunciation on the outside of the lid. Identified as cypress wood by eye.
Structure
The box is carved from a solid block (dug out), with four inner compartments: one long narrow compartment which has lost its lift-off lid; one rectangular with a heart-shaped sub-divider enclosed by a lid hung on three brassy metal wire hinges; two small compartments with rounded ends and sliding lids. The two small compartments appear originally to have received their sliding lids from the right side of the box, but the openings have been filled by inset blocks of dovetail form (with a slightly different punched border pattern), and the lids themselves presumably shortened. The main, external lid consists of two boards joined by their 3 original twisted wire iron hinges, which allow the lid to be partly folded back – though the reason for this is not obvious. The main lid is hinged to the box using 3 brassy metal twisted wire hinges added over the 3 original, broken, cut and pierced brassy metal hinges of flower shape fixed by metal pins. The lid is now secured at the front by a crude brass ring (on the lid) and a length of wire in the box front, which may supercede the original catch of similar form.
The cutting out of the structure from the solid would have been carried out using small chisels. The intaglio surface designs appear to have been worked using very small chisels, and square and rhombus punches and ink, presumably applied with a metal knib.
Decoration
The outside of the main lid is carved in intaglio, with inked detail on the relief areas and punched ground and depicts the Annunciation: on the left the angel Gabriel with a staff stands(?) below a canopy supported by two columns, with a vase of flowers; in the centre is a smaller seated female figure (possibly St Anne) spinning with a distaff below a tree and with the sun above; on the right is Mary kneeling at a low lectern(?) under a canopy supported by two columns. There is an outer border consisting of a repeated square punch mark within incised parallel lines. The front and sides are fully carved in intaglio with a lattice rhombus design with a regular square punched pattern on the raised ribs and (on the front only) punching in the recessed background, within a border of 3 parallel incised lines. On the front a central area has been left blank, where the keyhole would normally be placed.
Inside the box the borders around and between compartments are punched with a regular repeating pattern of rhombus (doubled along the sides), between incised parallel lines, except for the two inset pieces of wood added on the right side (see above). The large compartment lid is carved in intaglio with two eight-pointed stars flanking a rhombus on a background of small rhombus punch marks, within a border of small rhombus marks and parallel lines. The two small compartment lids are punched and incised with a regular rhombus lattice pattern matching the front.
Later interventions and changes
There is a long split on the bottom along the back edge.
Lid hinges replaced.
Compartment lid hinges added.
On the right side two small sections (originally open for the inner compartment sliding lids) have been filled with cypress(?) blocks.
Structure
The box is carved from a solid block (dug out), with four inner compartments: one long narrow compartment which has lost its lift-off lid; one rectangular with a heart-shaped sub-divider enclosed by a lid hung on three brassy metal wire hinges; two small compartments with rounded ends and sliding lids. The two small compartments appear originally to have received their sliding lids from the right side of the box, but the openings have been filled by inset blocks of dovetail form (with a slightly different punched border pattern), and the lids themselves presumably shortened. The main, external lid consists of two boards joined by their 3 original twisted wire iron hinges, which allow the lid to be partly folded back – though the reason for this is not obvious. The main lid is hinged to the box using 3 brassy metal twisted wire hinges added over the 3 original, broken, cut and pierced brassy metal hinges of flower shape fixed by metal pins. The lid is now secured at the front by a crude brass ring (on the lid) and a length of wire in the box front, which may supercede the original catch of similar form.
The cutting out of the structure from the solid would have been carried out using small chisels. The intaglio surface designs appear to have been worked using very small chisels, and square and rhombus punches and ink, presumably applied with a metal knib.
Decoration
The outside of the main lid is carved in intaglio, with inked detail on the relief areas and punched ground and depicts the Annunciation: on the left the angel Gabriel with a staff stands(?) below a canopy supported by two columns, with a vase of flowers; in the centre is a smaller seated female figure (possibly St Anne) spinning with a distaff below a tree and with the sun above; on the right is Mary kneeling at a low lectern(?) under a canopy supported by two columns. There is an outer border consisting of a repeated square punch mark within incised parallel lines. The front and sides are fully carved in intaglio with a lattice rhombus design with a regular square punched pattern on the raised ribs and (on the front only) punching in the recessed background, within a border of 3 parallel incised lines. On the front a central area has been left blank, where the keyhole would normally be placed.
Inside the box the borders around and between compartments are punched with a regular repeating pattern of rhombus (doubled along the sides), between incised parallel lines, except for the two inset pieces of wood added on the right side (see above). The large compartment lid is carved in intaglio with two eight-pointed stars flanking a rhombus on a background of small rhombus punch marks, within a border of small rhombus marks and parallel lines. The two small compartment lids are punched and incised with a regular rhombus lattice pattern matching the front.
Later interventions and changes
There is a long split on the bottom along the back edge.
Lid hinges replaced.
Compartment lid hinges added.
On the right side two small sections (originally open for the inner compartment sliding lids) have been filled with cypress(?) blocks.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Cypress wood, carved and punched, and with inked decoration |
| Brief description | Annunciation; probably for scales. Cypress wood with punchwork, shallow relief and penwork; Italian c1480-1560(?) |
| Physical description | Box of cypress wood with shaped interior compartments, possibly for a balance scale and weights. The box is decorated with intaglio carving, ink decoration and punched ornament, and shows the Annunciation on the outside of the lid. Identified as cypress wood by eye. Structure The box is carved from a solid block (dug out), with four inner compartments: one long narrow compartment which has lost its lift-off lid; one rectangular with a heart-shaped sub-divider enclosed by a lid hung on three brassy metal wire hinges; two small compartments with rounded ends and sliding lids. The two small compartments appear originally to have received their sliding lids from the right side of the box, but the openings have been filled by inset blocks of dovetail form (with a slightly different punched border pattern), and the lids themselves presumably shortened. The main, external lid consists of two boards joined by their 3 original twisted wire iron hinges, which allow the lid to be partly folded back – though the reason for this is not obvious. The main lid is hinged to the box using 3 brassy metal twisted wire hinges added over the 3 original, broken, cut and pierced brassy metal hinges of flower shape fixed by metal pins. The lid is now secured at the front by a crude brass ring (on the lid) and a length of wire in the box front, which may supercede the original catch of similar form. The cutting out of the structure from the solid would have been carried out using small chisels. The intaglio surface designs appear to have been worked using very small chisels, and square and rhombus punches and ink, presumably applied with a metal knib. Decoration The outside of the main lid is carved in intaglio, with inked detail on the relief areas and punched ground and depicts the Annunciation: on the left the angel Gabriel with a staff stands(?) below a canopy supported by two columns, with a vase of flowers; in the centre is a smaller seated female figure (possibly St Anne) spinning with a distaff below a tree and with the sun above; on the right is Mary kneeling at a low lectern(?) under a canopy supported by two columns. There is an outer border consisting of a repeated square punch mark within incised parallel lines. The front and sides are fully carved in intaglio with a lattice rhombus design with a regular square punched pattern on the raised ribs and (on the front only) punching in the recessed background, within a border of 3 parallel incised lines. On the front a central area has been left blank, where the keyhole would normally be placed. Inside the box the borders around and between compartments are punched with a regular repeating pattern of rhombus (doubled along the sides), between incised parallel lines, except for the two inset pieces of wood added on the right side (see above). The large compartment lid is carved in intaglio with two eight-pointed stars flanking a rhombus on a background of small rhombus punch marks, within a border of small rhombus marks and parallel lines. The two small compartment lids are punched and incised with a regular rhombus lattice pattern matching the front. Later interventions and changes There is a long split on the bottom along the back edge. Lid hinges replaced. Compartment lid hinges added. On the right side two small sections (originally open for the inner compartment sliding lids) have been filled with cypress(?) blocks. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | BOX FOR SCALES AND WEIGHTS
ITALIAN; 15th or early 16th century.
Cypress wood with ornament outlined in Indian ink and incised.
The top of the lid is covered with a representation of the Annunciation with St. Anne. The front and sides are decorated with chequer-work. This is a small version of a class of furniture that is found all over Europe but was probably produced in Venice. 'Cipress Chists' are frequently listed in English inventories of the late 16th to early 17th century.
Museum no. 129-1907(1970?) |
| Object history | Bought for £11. 18s. 1d. from Monsieur R. Heilbronner, 3 Rue du Vieux-Colombier, Paris. Described as a 'Box for scales and weights, of cypress wood with ornament outlined in India ink and incised...Worn. Original hinge broken'. No other information on the nominal file (checked NH Dec. 2010). Lent to the exhibition, Madonnas and Miracles: The Holy Home in Renaissance Italy at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 7 March - 4 June 2017 The suggestion that this box was to hold a balance scale appears to rest on the arrangment of internal compartments, especially the heart-shaped cavity above a long slot, which may have been shaped to hold the fulcrum and the beam. The purpose of the hinged lid is not obvious, save that it allows the lid to be partly opened, perhaps to keep the rear compartment (for coins or precious weights, say) to remain enclosed. Note that another, apparently similar box with hinged lid has been described as being for writing tools. |
| Historical context | Comparable boxes in VON FALKE, Otto: Die Sammlung Dr Albert Figdor - Wien. Vol. 1. (Berlin: 1930), no. 337 [translated text] North Italian 15th century Small box for writing tools, cedarwood with low relief on punched ground. The lid is in two parts to be flipped open, with an empty shield and a lord and lady in rich 15th century costume. Inside several compartments with lids that are decorated with ornaments. Previous owner: Spitzer Pyx with a scene of Christ on the cross rising from the tomb with St John and Mary, c1500 Northern Italy, cypress wood(?), 3.3 x 17.5 x 17cm, no. 17 in Ewald Berger, Prunk-Kassetten/ Ornamental Caskets. Meisterwerke aus der Hanns Schell Collection. (Graz, 1998) Coffre de Changeur 21.5 x 63.5 x 40cm with the date(?) 1518, containing a lidded unit within for a balance; offered at auction by Pierre Berge, Paris 10/12/2018 lot 43. |
| Literary reference | Annunciation |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 129:1 to 3-1907 |
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| Record created | January 30, 2008 |
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