This frame has been romantically associated with the notorious Lucrezia Borgia (1480–1519), but it bears a flaming grenade, the personal emblem of her husband, Alfonso d’Este (1486–1534), 3rd Duke of Ferrara. The frame would have housed either a mirror or a devotional image, as suggested by the moralising theme of the carving. The various animals symbolise virtue and vice, and the ‘Y’ at the bottom signifies the choice between good and evil. The maker remains unknown, but the frame could have come from the ducal workshops of Ferrara in the north Italian state of Emilia-Romagna, a city famous for its patronage of artists like Cosmè Turo (1430–1495) and Antonio Pisanello (about 1395–1455).
Physical description
Round, carved walnut mirror frame with gilt inner and outer borders. The frame is carved in an acanthus scroll pattern, interspersed with allegorical figures and animals, holding gilt letters that make up the words “bonum” (good) on the left side and ‘malum’ (evil) on the right side. At the bottom is a gilt letter ‘Y’, the Pythagorean symbol for the choice between a life of virtue and vice. At the top is an angel on the left representing eternal salvation and a skeleton on the right symbolizing death and damnation. Progressing to the Angel at the top. Moving upwards from the ‘Y’, the ‘good’ emblems include a maid, a dragon, an eagle holding a hare in its claws (military prowess?), a unicorn (chastity) and a lion (fortitude); the ‘bad’ ones a satyr (pride), a hog (gluttony), a porcupine (ferocity), monkey (lust) and wolf (cruelty). Immediately above the top of the inner edge is a gilt flaming grenade, the personal emblem of Alfonso d’Este, 3rd Duke of Ferrara (1486 – 1534). The inner and outer borders are decorated with lotus-leaf and dart moulding. – Try to identify the eagle, dragon and maiden (other than chastity!).
The mirror is made of one piece of wood. The space between both edges has been carved in relief, with deep undercutting, and the background surfaces punched. The turner’s marks can just be seen on the edges of the gilt borders and clearly so on the back of the mirror. The back is dished, with a flat outer rim 4.2. cm wide. There are three main patches of bastard graining in the dished area, one below and another to the proper right hand side of the inner ring, and one close to the flattened outer rim, on the proper left hand side. An old split runs across the dished surface of the back, roughly behind the monkey.
The glass mirror and its wooden support have been added at a later date. Despite the waxy surface the surface and appearance of being in good condition, the front has numerous worm holes: the pig’s and porcupine’s snouts are partly eaten away, and the monkey’s cheek and upper lip have been replaced with gum.
Place of Origin
Ferrara
Date
1502-1519 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown
Materials and Techniques
Walnut, carved and partly gilt
Marks and inscriptions
"7694-'62 is inscribed in white paint on the back in a position roughly corresponding with the middle of the 'Y' on the front, and in very faintly in red paint on the opposite side. There are three screw holes, bored isosceles triangle fashion, and two screw holes at the extremities of the imprint of a 'V' shaped bracket at the top of the mirror; two pairs of screw holes at the PL side and one pair at the PR side of the mirror. There are remains of a white circle with a concentration of scratch marks on it, near the PL extremity, and a white label inscribed 670 in black ink."
Dimensions
Diameter: 48.2 cm
Thickness: 5.9 cm (Maximum)
Object history note
Although traditionally linked with Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519), this frame is emblazoned with the flaming grenade, the personal emblem of her husband, Alfonso d'Este (1486-1534). It formed part of the collections of Jules Soulages (died ca. 1857), a lawyer from Toulouse, which were bought by subscription and exhibited at the Museum of Ornamental Art, London, between December 1856 and January 1857. It was item 670 in the exhibition catalogue and described as a "circular Metallic Mirror, in carved walnut-wood frame. Italian – date, second half of fifteenth century … The ornamentation forms a continued frieze of the richest and most elaborate carving ...M. Soulages states that this mirror was reputed to have been the property of the celebrated Lucrezia Borgia, and that the flaming grenado … was her device".
Despite initial reluctance, the Government acquired the collection from the subscribers piecemeal, including this item which was purchased for £150 in 1861. At that time, the frame came with a late 15th gilt bronze disk (7964A-1861) of a Madonna with child.
Historical context note
"Use to describe how and in what circumsyances this type of object would be used, as well as other cirucmstantial events relating to the object type".
This item could have been used as a mirror or a frame for a small religious painting or ancona, most likely of a Madonna and child or crucifix. Such items were frequently found in inventories, usually placed in more intimate rooms such as the bedchamber. The glass for mirrors was often imported from Venice, although the ducal workshops of Ferrara employed a mirror-glass maker by the name of Lazarus. They would have been regarded as an expensive luxury, more often used by the lady of the house than her husband. Given the somewhat moralizing theme of the decoration, the choice between good (bonum) over evil (malum) and the allegorical beasts that go with it, this frame may well have originally gone with a small religious painting.
Descriptive line
Mirror frame, Italian, Ferrara, 1502-19
Associated names
d'Este, Alfonso (I); Borgia, Lucrezia; Soulages, Jules
Materials
Walnut
Techniques
Gilding; Carving
Subjects depicted
Dragon; Lions; Death; Angel; Monkey; Eagle; Hare; Unicorns; Skeleton; Pride; Lust; Chastity; Cruelty; Fortitude; Gluttony; Ferocity
Categories
Furniture
Production Type and Product Note
Unique
Collection code
FWK
