Age thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Age

Relief
17th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)
Emilia-Romagna (made)

The inscription on the left reads 'V. Francoschina: AE: S: 80; V. Francoshina at the age of 80'. This and its companion relief, representing Youth, may be allegories of the transcience of earthly beauty.


Object details

Category
Sculpture
Object type
Relief
TitleAge
Materials and techniques
Wax
Wax
Brief description
Relief, wax, Italian (possibly Emilian), 17th century
Physical description
Oval relief in coloured wax. The relief, which is built up on a black glass ground, shows a toothless old woman in half-length naked to the waist. Her sparse grey hair is covered by a white cap, her left index finger is raised in expostulation, and her right hand rests on a skull. Over her right shoulder she wears a purplish fur-lined cloak.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10cm
  • Width: 8.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
'V.FRANCOSCHINA:AE:S:80'. (Inscribed on the right.)
Translation
V. Francoschina at the age of 80.
Credit line
Bequeathed by Lady de Gex
Object history
Bequeathed by Lady de Gex.
Summary
The inscription on the left reads 'V. Francoschina: AE: S: 80; V. Francoshina at the age of 80'. This and its companion relief, representing Youth, may be allegories of the transcience of earthly beauty.
Associated object
A.67-1938
Bibliographic references
  • Lightbown, R.W. 'Le Cere Artistiche del Cinquecento..' Arte Illustrata III, 1970, nos. 30-33, pp.46-55, nos. 34-36, pp.30-39.
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office, 1964. pp.637
  • cf. Lessman, J and König-Lein, S. Wachsarbeiten des 16 bis 20 Jahrhunderts. Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 2002, pp.25
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.68-1938

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Record createdMarch 12, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O96694/age-relief-unknown/
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