Canopy
Canopy
ca. 1521-1535 (made)
ca. 1521-1535 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This stone canopy was carved by an unknown artist in France in ca. 1521-1535.
The canopy is the earliest type of French Renaissance, with details still strongly influenced by Flamboyant Gothic.
The canopy, which has been severely damaged, and has been restored, came from the church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris. Of the three coats of arms which are suspended beneath the arches of the canopy, only the central one with three fleur-de-lis has been identified: the Abbey of Ste. Genevieve, with whom the patronage rested. The others presumably refer to individual patrons or donors.
The intricacy with which essentially classical elements are built up into a complex that owes little to the antique is characteristic of French Renaissance architecture.
The canopy is the earliest type of French Renaissance, with details still strongly influenced by Flamboyant Gothic.
The canopy, which has been severely damaged, and has been restored, came from the church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris. Of the three coats of arms which are suspended beneath the arches of the canopy, only the central one with three fleur-de-lis has been identified: the Abbey of Ste. Genevieve, with whom the patronage rested. The others presumably refer to individual patrons or donors.
The intricacy with which essentially classical elements are built up into a complex that owes little to the antique is characteristic of French Renaissance architecture.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Canopy (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved stone |
| Brief description | Canopy, stone, from the church St. Etienne-du-Mont, French, ca. 1521-1535 |
| Physical description | At the base are three arches, separated by volutes supporting a broken entablature, containing heraldic Shields, each on an abbatial staff: (1) on a chevron between two trefoils in chief and a mulberry in base three mullets pierced. (2) three fleurs de lys (for the Abbey of Ste. Genevieve, with whom the patronage rested). (3) a garb, and a chief charged with three mullets pierced. Above these are three smaller canopies, surmounted by nude male figures (one of which perhaps represents David with the head of Goliath). Between the canopies are richly decorated columns supporting vases and volutes, the latter terminating in horses' heads; the whole is surmounted by another canopy with a domed finial resembling a pine cone. The interior of the lower part of the canopy is enriched with pedentive flowers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | The canopy is the earliest type of French Renaissance, with details still strongly influenced by Flamboyant Gothic. The canopy, which has been severely damaged, and has been restored, came from the church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris. Of the three coats of arms which are suspended beneath the arches of the canopy, only the central one with three fleur-de-lis has been identified: the Abbey of Ste. Genevieve, with whom the patronage rested. The others presumably refer to individual patrons or donors. The intricacy with which essentially classical elements are built up into a complex that owes little to the antique is characteristic of French Renaissance architecture. Given by Mr. J. H. Fitzhenry. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This stone canopy was carved by an unknown artist in France in ca. 1521-1535. The canopy is the earliest type of French Renaissance, with details still strongly influenced by Flamboyant Gothic. The canopy, which has been severely damaged, and has been restored, came from the church of St. Etienne-du-Mont, Paris. Of the three coats of arms which are suspended beneath the arches of the canopy, only the central one with three fleur-de-lis has been identified: the Abbey of Ste. Genevieve, with whom the patronage rested. The others presumably refer to individual patrons or donors. The intricacy with which essentially classical elements are built up into a complex that owes little to the antique is characteristic of French Renaissance architecture. |
| Bibliographic reference | List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1905 - 1908. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1905, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, 1909, p. 99 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 473:2-1905 |
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| Record created | December 11, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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