Death at a Battle
Relief
ca. 1850-80 (made)
ca. 1850-80 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This relief was formerly thought to be a model by the so-called Master of the Leaf Frieze, who was active in the first quarter of the 16th century, producing models in boxwood which were disseminated to be reproduced by craftsmen in lead or bronze. However the dwarf-like figures here exhibit disproportionate muscular bodies and facial types which are uncharacteristic of the first half of the 16th century. The presence of the figure of Death with an hour-glass, a subject which cannot be found in any 16th century medals or plaquettes, is a typical 19th century addition. It is very likely that the relief was made for the collector Frederic Spitzer - in whose collection this relief was - in the 19th century. Spitzer owned several such pieces in boxwood which were fabricated at the time to enhance his collection of models.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Death at a Battle (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Relief in boxwood |
| Brief description | Relief, boxwood, Death at a Battle, unknown artist, Germany, ca. 1850-80 |
| Physical description | A battle of five naked men, carrying shields and swords. One wears a plumed helmet. To the left Death as a skeleton lifting an hour-glass. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Formerly Spitzer collection. Bequeathed by Salting to the V&A. |
| Historical context | This relief was formerly thought to be a model by the so-called Master of the Leaf Frieze, who was active in the first quarter of the 16th century, producing models in boxwood which were disseminated to be reproduced by craftsmen in lead or bronze. However the dwarf-like figures here exhibit disproportionate muscular bodies and facial types which are uncharacteristic of the first half of the 16th century. The presence of the figure of Death with an hour-glass, a subject which cannot be found in any 16th century medals or plaquettes, is a typical 19th century addition. It is very likely that the relief was made for Frederic Spitzer in the 19th century. Spitzer owned several such pieces in boxwood which were fabricated at the time to enhance his collection of models. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This relief was formerly thought to be a model by the so-called Master of the Leaf Frieze, who was active in the first quarter of the 16th century, producing models in boxwood which were disseminated to be reproduced by craftsmen in lead or bronze. However the dwarf-like figures here exhibit disproportionate muscular bodies and facial types which are uncharacteristic of the first half of the 16th century. The presence of the figure of Death with an hour-glass, a subject which cannot be found in any 16th century medals or plaquettes, is a typical 19th century addition. It is very likely that the relief was made for the collector Frederic Spitzer - in whose collection this relief was - in the 19th century. Spitzer owned several such pieces in boxwood which were fabricated at the time to enhance his collection of models. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.502-1910 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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