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Casket

ca. 1350-1375 (made)
Artist/Maker
Workshop of the Nailed Figures (maker)
Place of origin
Italy (made)

This bone, horn and gillt-copper on wood casket, is made by the Workshop of the Nailed Figures in Northern Italy in about 1350-1375. This workshop (bottega a figure inchiodate) was so called by Elena Merlini and reflects on the fact that the members of the group share a characteristic method of manufacture, the figured plaques being attached with round-headed and gilded nails to the wooden core. The iconography of this casket is unusual, while the other caskets mainly represent fairly static figure scenes, this one brims with movement and energy. The repertoire of naked amorini fighting animals was fairly common in the workshop, but was used exclusively on casket lids rather than the body. The present casket is the only surviving example where this animal combat imagery is the subject of the mail panels.



Object details

Categories
Containers
Sculpture
Object type
Casket
Materials and techniques
Wood inlaid with marquetry of ebony and bone
Bone
Wood
Ebony
Inlay
Marquetry
Brief description
Casket, wood inlaid with marquetry, bone and gilt copper, by the workshop of the Nailed Figures, North Italy, ca. 1350-1375
Physical description
The casket is of wood inlaid with marquetry of bone and gilt-copper. The casket has a hipped roof and flat sides, standing on four feet which have lost their original ebony bottoms.
The decoration of the lid consists of a geometrical intarsiam, forming an interlocking pattern of squares, stars and circles. Plaques at either end of the lid contain a blank shield surmounted by a crown with three lilies. Above, two further carved panels on the top depict a winged amorino carrying a scroll amongst foliage.
The amorini are playing with snails, crickets, storks, etc. Wood enriched with 'alla certosina' marquetry and covered with bone plaques.
Dimensions
  • Not including feet and handle height: 15cm
  • Width: 20.7cm
  • Depth: 12.6cm
  • Including feet and handle height: 19.9cm
Object history
Purchased in Paris in 1856 for £8. No further details in Museum records.
Production
North Italy
Subjects depicted
Marquetry
Amorini
Snails
Stork
Cupid
Summary
This bone, horn and gillt-copper on wood casket, is made by the Workshop of the Nailed Figures in Northern Italy in about 1350-1375. This workshop (bottega a figure inchiodate) was so called by Elena Merlini and reflects on the fact that the members of the group share a characteristic method of manufacture, the figured plaques being attached with round-headed and gilded nails to the wooden core. The iconography of this casket is unusual, while the other caskets mainly represent fairly static figure scenes, this one brims with movement and energy. The repertoire of naked amorini fighting animals was fairly common in the workshop, but was used exclusively on casket lids rather than the body. The present casket is the only surviving example where this animal combat imagery is the subject of the mail panels.

Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1856. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 31
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. Part II. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1929, p. 67
  • Schlosser, v. Julius. Die Werkstatt der Embriachi in Venedig. Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des a.h. Kaiserhauses Vienna, 1899, pp. 220
  • Maskell, W., A Description of the Ivories Ancient and Medieval in the South Kensington Museum, London, 1872 p. 10
  • Randall Jr., Richard H. The Golden Age of Ivory. Gothic Carvings in North American Collections, New York, 1993 p. 149
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014 part II, pp. 784-787
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, part II, pp. 784-787, cat. no. 261
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
2563-1856

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Record createdApril 9, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O224014/casket-workshop-of-the/
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