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Ariadne in Naxos thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Ariadne in Naxos

Plaquette
late 15th century to early 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This plaquette depicting Ariadne in Naxos is made by the so called Master of IO.F.F., who was a plaquette maker active around 1500.

Plaquettes are small plaques or reliefs made of bronze, brass, lead or precious metals. They originated in the 1440ies with the desire to reproduce coins and hardstone engravings from ancient Greece and Rome. Some were made as collector's pieces, to be viewed and displayed in private, and others for practical purposes. They also inspired designs in other media, from architecture to bookbindings.
Whilst religious plaquettes had both public and private functions, and mounted religious plaquettes, known as paxes, were held up during mass for the kiss of peace, those with a secular subject matter were usually for private, personal use. They were used as pendants, desk ornaments, and applied to functional objects such as pounce-pots. They were also valued as fine miniature works of art. Plaquettes had a role in disseminating classical imagery and designs throughout Europe, in the same manner as the contemporary print. The subject matter was often a miniature composition, only rarely a single isolated figure.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAriadne in Naxos (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Gilded bronze
Brief description
Plaquette, gilt bronze, Ariadne in Naxos, by the Master of IO.F.F, Italy, ca. 1500
Physical description
Ariadne seated, naked, except for a cloak over her knees, holding a reversed torch. To the right a naked man holding on his head a trophy with a figure of cupid and carrying a long torch. A man carrying on a pole the heads of an ox, a lion and a boar, and behind him a satyr carrying on his shoulders a female faun.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 5cm
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
This plaquette depicting Ariadne in Naxos is made by the so called Master of IO.F.F., who was a plaquette maker active around 1500.

Plaquettes are small plaques or reliefs made of bronze, brass, lead or precious metals. They originated in the 1440ies with the desire to reproduce coins and hardstone engravings from ancient Greece and Rome. Some were made as collector's pieces, to be viewed and displayed in private, and others for practical purposes. They also inspired designs in other media, from architecture to bookbindings.
Whilst religious plaquettes had both public and private functions, and mounted religious plaquettes, known as paxes, were held up during mass for the kiss of peace, those with a secular subject matter were usually for private, personal use. They were used as pendants, desk ornaments, and applied to functional objects such as pounce-pots. They were also valued as fine miniature works of art. Plaquettes had a role in disseminating classical imagery and designs throughout Europe, in the same manner as the contemporary print. The subject matter was often a miniature composition, only rarely a single isolated figure.
Bibliographic references
  • 'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 74
  • Maclagan, Eric. Catalogue of Italian Plaquettes . London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1924, p. 52
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Renaissance Bronzes from the Samuel H. Kress Collection. Reliefs - Plaquettes - Statuettes - Utensils and Mortars . London: 1965, p. 33, no 97, fig 128
  • Martini, Luciana. Piccoli bronzi e placchette del Museo Nazionale di Ravenna. Bologna: University Press, 1985, pp. 170-1, no. 49
Collection
Accession number
A.466-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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