Relief monument

Object Type
This wall monument is made of alabaster (a soft stone, a form of gypsum, that is easy to carve) and black marble. It was originally installed in the church of St Denis, Faxton, Northamptonshire, along with other funerary monuments to members of the Nicholls family. Sir Augustine Nicolls (1559-1616) is shown in his judge's robes kneeling on a cushion in full profile to the left, before a prie-dieu (praying desk or kneeling desk) with books. He is flanked by figures representing Justice and Prudence, virtues appropriate for a judge. Between the two figures representing Fortitude and Temperance above is the Nicolls coat of arms.

Later History
The church of Faxton in Northamptonshire fell into disrepair during the 20th century, the hamlet of Faxton itself having long since disappeared. It was in a remote position, two miles north-east of Lamport. In 1958 the church was demolished, the monuments having been removed to the stables of Lamport Rectory. In 1965 the V&A agreed to accept the monuments in the stables as a gift. By then they were in poor condition, and a good deal of conservation work was undertaken by the Museum's Conservation Department.

People
Nicholas Stone (born about 1587, died 1647) was the most important English sculptor of the first half of the 17th century. He trained in The Netherlands, in the workshop of Hendrik de Keyser (1565-1621) in Amsterdam, from about 1607. He married de Keyser's daughter and returned to London in 1613. Although Stone was also active as an architect (he was appointed Master Mason and Architect at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, in 1626), he is best remembered for the fine marble and alabaster tombs he erected during the 1620s and 1630s. He appears to have stopped work with the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642.

Alabaster
There are two sorts of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is very hard and was used in ancient times. This object is made of gypsum alabaster which is a fine-grained, soft and smooth stone. Although at first glance it looks a little like marble, which it was intended to imitate, it was much easier to carve due to its softness, and alabaster objects were therefore significantly cheaper to produce. Marble does not originate in England, so it was imported if needed, whereas in the 15th century there were important alabaster quarries in Nottingham, York, Burton-on-Trent and London. England was a major centre for the production of objects such as this one. During period, they were exported in very large numbers to Europe where they survive, unlike many examples which remained in England and were destroyed or greatly damaged during the Reformation.