St Nicholas of Tolentino
Relief
ca. 1650 (made)
ca. 1650 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ivory relief representing St. Nicholas of Tolentino holding a crucifix, a lily and a book is probably Cingalo-Portuguese, made in about 1650.
Although previously thought to be Spanish or Portuguese, as well as Hispano-filipino, certain features, in particular the stylised clouds and facial features, as well as the calligraphy of the inscription at the bottom, show a resemblance to Cingalo- Portuguese works, suggesting it is likely to be from Sri Lanka. The composition is probably based on a woodcut.
Although previously thought to be Spanish or Portuguese, as well as Hispano-filipino, certain features, in particular the stylised clouds and facial features, as well as the calligraphy of the inscription at the bottom, show a resemblance to Cingalo- Portuguese works, suggesting it is likely to be from Sri Lanka. The composition is probably based on a woodcut.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St Nicholas of Tolentino (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Ivory relief in a mahogany and ivory frame |
| Brief description | Relief, ivory in mahogany and ivory frame, St Nicholas of Tolentino, probably Cingalo-Portugese (Sri Lanka), ca. 1650 |
| Physical description | The haloed and tonsured St. Nicholas of Tolentino is shown in an Augustinian habit dotted with stars. He stands in a landscape and holds a crucifix and a lily in his left hand and an open book in his right with a garbled Latin inscription; in the background are a distant church and other buildings. A censer is suspended in the sky, along with a whip and a skull. The relief is inscribed at the bottom. The figure and background are framed by an integral ivory border, this being set in a wood frame with pierced ivory decoration around the borders, some parts of which are missing. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh F.S.A. in 1923 |
| Object history | Although previously catalogued by Longhurst as Spanish or Portuguese, and by Estella Marcos as Hispano-filipino, certain features, in particular the stylised clouds and facial features, as well as the calligraphy of the inscription at the bottom, show a resemblance to Cingalo-Portuguese works, suggesting it is likely to be from Sri Lanka. The composition is probably based on a woodcut. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This ivory relief representing St. Nicholas of Tolentino holding a crucifix, a lily and a book is probably Cingalo-Portuguese, made in about 1650. Although previously thought to be Spanish or Portuguese, as well as Hispano-filipino, certain features, in particular the stylised clouds and facial features, as well as the calligraphy of the inscription at the bottom, show a resemblance to Cingalo- Portuguese works, suggesting it is likely to be from Sri Lanka. The composition is probably based on a woodcut. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.90-1923 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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