Lovers in a Garden
Comb
ca. 1400 (made)
ca. 1400 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This Comb of carved ivory is made in Venice in about 1400, and depicts Lovers in a Garden, shown as numerous figure groups in relief on each side.
The comb has since the Antiquity been a fundamental tool for personal grooming, used both by men and women. In the Gothic period ivory was often employed for the production of deluxe decorated combs. The Gothic comb is always carved on both faces and consists of two registers of teeth, one fine, the other broader, above and below the narrative strips.
Ivory combs, together with mirror cases and gravoirs for parting the hair, formed an essential part of the trousse de toilette or étui (dressing case) of the typical wealthy lady or gentleman in the Gothic period. Considering the original ubiquity of such combs and in comparison with ivory mirror cases, a surprisingly small number survive from the fourteenth century.
The comb has since the Antiquity been a fundamental tool for personal grooming, used both by men and women. In the Gothic period ivory was often employed for the production of deluxe decorated combs. The Gothic comb is always carved on both faces and consists of two registers of teeth, one fine, the other broader, above and below the narrative strips.
Ivory combs, together with mirror cases and gravoirs for parting the hair, formed an essential part of the trousse de toilette or étui (dressing case) of the typical wealthy lady or gentleman in the Gothic period. Considering the original ubiquity of such combs and in comparison with ivory mirror cases, a surprisingly small number survive from the fourteenth century.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Lovers in a Garden (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Carved elephant ivory |
Brief description | Comb, ivory, Lovers in a Garden, North Italy (Venice), ca. 1400 |
Physical description | Comb of carved ivory, with numerous figure groups in relief on each side. On the face, in are recessed band, are four couples amongst trees. From left to right, a couple embrace; a lady receives a crown from her lover (or is giving it to him), the latter crossing his arms in front of her chest; a lady, her arms crossed in like manner to the adjacent man, is presented with a ring(?) by her lover; and a couple exchange gifts. On the other face four couples (probably the same pairs as on the other side) link hands to dance in a garden with trees. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | From the collection of Jules Soulages, Paris and Toulouse (probalby acquired by him in Italy in 1830-40: see Robinson 1856, p. iii); bought together with the rest of the Soulages collection in 1856 by a subscription committee and then purchased by the Museum in 1859 (£15). |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This Comb of carved ivory is made in Venice in about 1400, and depicts Lovers in a Garden, shown as numerous figure groups in relief on each side. The comb has since the Antiquity been a fundamental tool for personal grooming, used both by men and women. In the Gothic period ivory was often employed for the production of deluxe decorated combs. The Gothic comb is always carved on both faces and consists of two registers of teeth, one fine, the other broader, above and below the narrative strips. Ivory combs, together with mirror cases and gravoirs for parting the hair, formed an essential part of the trousse de toilette or étui (dressing case) of the typical wealthy lady or gentleman in the Gothic period. Considering the original ubiquity of such combs and in comparison with ivory mirror cases, a surprisingly small number survive from the fourteenth century. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 5607-1859 |
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Record created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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