Valentine for Simon Mayes
Greetings Card
1999 (made)
1999 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The labyrinth motif on the front of this mosaic valentine by Janet Davis is a visual pun on the name of its recipient (Mayes/maze). It also evokes the traditional "lover's knot" of early handmade valentines and the garden imagery of Tudor and Jacobean love poetry. The shared interests of the lovers (an art historian and an archaeologist) are further symbolised in the designs impressed in copper on the reverse of the valentine, which are based on altars at the Mithras, a Roman site in Carrawburgh, Northumberland, which they had visited together.
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Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Valentine for Simon Mayes (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Appliqué and mosaic of vitreous tesserae, grout, velvet, kapok stuffing, polyester thread, embossed copper foil, brass hinges and various adhesives on marine plywood base |
Brief description | Mosaic valentine by Janet Davis |
Physical description | Diptych of two square panels. On the front, a mosaic depicting a circular maze with a padded red velvet heart at the centre. Inside and back encased with copper foil impressed with various designs and lettering. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Unique |
Marks and inscriptions |
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Credit line | Given by the artist |
Subjects depicted | |
Place depicted | |
Summary | The labyrinth motif on the front of this mosaic valentine by Janet Davis is a visual pun on the name of its recipient (Mayes/maze). It also evokes the traditional "lover's knot" of early handmade valentines and the garden imagery of Tudor and Jacobean love poetry. The shared interests of the lovers (an art historian and an archaeologist) are further symbolised in the designs impressed in copper on the reverse of the valentine, which are based on altars at the Mithras, a Roman site in Carrawburgh, Northumberland, which they had visited together. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.928-2000 |
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Record created | March 17, 2009 |
Record URL |
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