Arms of the Counts of Virneburg
Panel
ca. 1480-1500 (made)
ca. 1480-1500 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Virneburg was an independent state lying north of Trier in the German lands, south of Aachen and to the west of Coblenz.
This coat of arms is supported by a humorous male figure. Human supporters on arms were popular in Germany, but did not become hereditary until about 1650. Individual family members could adopt different supporters for the family coat of arms. This makes it difficult to determine which member of the Virneburg family is represented here.
The arms are described as: ‘Or, seven conjoined lozenges gules’ (on a field of gold are displayed seven lozenges joined together, four in the top and three in the base).
Because of the shape of the panel, it is likely that it was placed in the upper small portions of a window. These are known as 'tracery lights'. There is another panel with these arms in the nearby church of Kapellen-Stolzenfel.
This coat of arms is supported by a humorous male figure. Human supporters on arms were popular in Germany, but did not become hereditary until about 1650. Individual family members could adopt different supporters for the family coat of arms. This makes it difficult to determine which member of the Virneburg family is represented here.
The arms are described as: ‘Or, seven conjoined lozenges gules’ (on a field of gold are displayed seven lozenges joined together, four in the top and three in the base).
Because of the shape of the panel, it is likely that it was placed in the upper small portions of a window. These are known as 'tracery lights'. There is another panel with these arms in the nearby church of Kapellen-Stolzenfel.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Arms of the Counts of Virneburg (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Clear and coloured glass with painted details |
| Brief description | Panel of clear and coloured glass with painted details displaying the arms of the Counts of Virneburg. Made in Germany, c.1480-1500. |
| Physical description | Panel of irregular form from a Tracery light. A grotesque turbaned figure with hands and feet clamped to a shield of arms. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | ARMS OF THE COUNTS OF VIRNEBURG
The origin of this unusual tracery light, with a grotesque figure holding a shield with the arms of the Counts of Virneburg, is not known. Their castle, now ruined, is close to Koblenz on the Middle Rhine.
Germany (Middle Rhine), about 1480-1500
Museum no. 6916-1860; from the collection of Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill((PW) 2003) |
| Historical context | Virneburg was an independent state lying north of Trier, south of Aachen and to the west of Coblenz. This coat of arms is supported by a humourous male figure. Human supporters on arms were popular in Germany but were not hereditary until the middle of the 17th century. Individual members of the family could adopt different supporters for the family coat of arms. This makes it difficult to determine precisely which member of the Virneburg family is represented here. The arms are described as: Or, 7 conjoined lozenges gules (on a field of gold are displayed 7 lozenges joined together, four in the top and three in the base). Because of the shape of the panel it is likely that it was place in the upper small portions of a window; these are known as 'tracery lights'. There is another panel with these arms in the nearby church of Kapellen-Stolzenfel |
| Production | From the Strawberry Hill Collection. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Virneburg was an independent state lying north of Trier in the German lands, south of Aachen and to the west of Coblenz. This coat of arms is supported by a humorous male figure. Human supporters on arms were popular in Germany, but did not become hereditary until about 1650. Individual family members could adopt different supporters for the family coat of arms. This makes it difficult to determine which member of the Virneburg family is represented here. The arms are described as: ‘Or, seven conjoined lozenges gules’ (on a field of gold are displayed seven lozenges joined together, four in the top and three in the base). Because of the shape of the panel, it is likely that it was placed in the upper small portions of a window. These are known as 'tracery lights'. There is another panel with these arms in the nearby church of Kapellen-Stolzenfel. |
| Bibliographic reference | Williamson, Paul. Medieval and Renaissance Stained Glass in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, 2003. ISBN 1851774041 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 6916-1860 |
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| Record created | July 12, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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