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Campaspe Riding Aristotle

Gravoir
ca. 1320-1330 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is an ivory gravoir made in about 1320-1330 in Paris, France. It depicts Campaspe, Alexander's mistress, seated on the back of Aristotle.

The gravoir, also described as a broche or discernibulum in medieval documents, was used to part the hair and in some cases was worn as a large hairpin.

In the period between 1300 and 1325 workshops in Paris enjoyed a thriving market for secular ivory carvings. They produced mirror-cases, combs and gravoirs (hair parters), often selling them as sets in leather dressing cases. Subjects from romance literature appeared frequently, as did the allegorical Siege of the Castle of Love.
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 story of Aristotle and Campaspe (also called Phyllis) became widely known from the thirteenth century. It was recounted that the learned Aristotle had admonished his pupil Alexander, telling him not to be distracted from his work by the beautiful Campaspe. On setting eyes on her, however, the aged Aristotle himself immediately became so enamoured that he followed her every wish and allowed himself to be ridden by her like a horse. Campaspe, in league with Alexander, made sure that Aristotle was seen in this position by the younger man, both humiliating him and demonstrating the triumph of love over reason.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCampaspe Riding Aristotle (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved elephant ivory
Brief description
Gravoir, ivory, Campaspe Riding Aristotle, French (Paris), ca. 1320-1330
Physical description
Gravoir depicting Campaspe, Alexander's mistress, seated on the back of Aristotle. Campaspe with crown and veil, is seen riding Aristotle side-saddle on a rocky mound; the old man has not only been fitted with a saddle on his back but has a bit between his teeth, Campaspe holding the reins with her left hand.
Dimensions
  • Height: 21cm
Style
Object history
In the possession of John Webb, London, by 1862 (London 1862, cat. no. 153); Purchased from Webb in 1867, for £15.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is an ivory gravoir made in about 1320-1330 in Paris, France. It depicts Campaspe, Alexander's mistress, seated on the back of Aristotle.

The gravoir, also described as a broche or discernibulum in medieval documents, was used to part the hair and in some cases was worn as a large hairpin.

In the period between 1300 and 1325 workshops in Paris enjoyed a thriving market for secular ivory carvings. They produced mirror-cases, combs and gravoirs (hair parters), often selling them as sets in leather dressing cases. Subjects from romance literature appeared frequently, as did the allegorical Siege of the Castle of Love.
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 story of Aristotle and Campaspe (also called Phyllis) became widely known from the thirteenth century. It was recounted that the learned Aristotle had admonished his pupil Alexander, telling him not to be distracted from his work by the beautiful Campaspe. On setting eyes on her, however, the aged Aristotle himself immediately became so enamoured that he followed her every wish and allowed himself to be ridden by her like a horse. Campaspe, in league with Alexander, made sure that Aristotle was seen in this position by the younger man, both humiliating him and demonstrating the triumph of love over reason.
Bibliographic references
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1927-1929, Part II, p. 49
  • Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1867. Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 12
  • Gaborit-Chopin, Danielle. Aristote et les Roses : sur un Manche de Couteau du Musée du Louvre. In: Pribyl, Petr. In Italiam nos fata trahunt, sequamur ... : sborník príspevku k 75. narozeninám Olgy Pujmanové. Praha, 2003, pp. 41-44
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014 part II, pp. 636-637
  • Maskell, W., A Description of the Ivories Ancient and Medieval in the South Kensington Museum, London, 1872 p. 117
  • Koechlin, R., Les Ivoires gothiques français, 3 vols, Paris, 1924 (reprinted Paris 1968) I, pp. 418, 427, 440, II, cat. no. 1138, III, pl. CXC
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, part II, pp. 636-637, cat. no. 220
Collection
Accession number
286-1867

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Record createdAugust 22, 2008
Record URL
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