Fragment of a frieze thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Fragment of a frieze

Frieze
ca. 1518 - ca. 1522 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

This terracotta band of arabesque and foliate ornament, has been mitred at the right end to form a corner. It was excavated from the site of Suffolk Place, in Southwark, the palace of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk (d.1545), brother-in-law to Henry VIII.

Suffolk Place was a vast house built by Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, between 1518 and 1522. It is the earliest example of a Tudor courtyard house known to have carried this type of extensive terracotta decoration. This use of terracotta quickly became fashionable and appeared on other buildings commissioned by Henry VIII's courtiers, including Cardinal Wolsey's York Place (later Whitehall) and Hampton Court Palace.

Charles Brandon was an orphan raised at the court of Henry VII and became a life-long friend of Henry VIII, who made him 1st Duke of Suffolk in 1514. The Duke was one of Henry VIII's most powerful courtiers, marrying Henry's sister, Mary, in 1518.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Architecture
Object type
Frieze
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Frieze Fragments
  • Fragment
TitleFragment of a frieze (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Terracotta
Terracotta
Brief description
Fragment of a frieze, terracotta, arabesque and foliate ornament, excavated from Suffolk Place, Southwark, England, ca. 1518-22
Physical description
Relief in cream terracotta. A narrow band of arabesque and foliate ornament; mitred at the right end to form a corner.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12cm
  • Length: 36.5cm
Object history
Excavated from Suffolk Place, Southwark, London. Given (with Nos. 26 to 30, 32 to 36-1938) to the Museum by Messrs Mosers Ltd, Iron Steel & Hardware Merchants, 170 to 188 & 192 Borough High Street, Southwark London in 1938.
Subjects depicted
Arabesque
Foliage
Mitred
Summary
This terracotta band of arabesque and foliate ornament, has been mitred at the right end to form a corner. It was excavated from the site of Suffolk Place, in Southwark, the palace of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk (d.1545), brother-in-law to Henry VIII.

Suffolk Place was a vast house built by Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, between 1518 and 1522. It is the earliest example of a Tudor courtyard house known to have carried this type of extensive terracotta decoration. This use of terracotta quickly became fashionable and appeared on other buildings commissioned by Henry VIII's courtiers, including Cardinal Wolsey's York Place (later Whitehall) and Hampton Court Palace.

Charles Brandon was an orphan raised at the court of Henry VII and became a life-long friend of Henry VIII, who made him 1st Duke of Suffolk in 1514. The Duke was one of Henry VIII's most powerful courtiers, marrying Henry's sister, Mary, in 1518.
Bibliographic references
  • Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V& A Publications, 2002. pp. 29. cat. no. 38.
  • Mosers, Mosers of the Borough, (trade pamphlet), London, [n.d.], 1938, p. 7, fig. A
  • Green, C.M., Finds from the Site of Suffolk Place, Southwark, (project submitted for the Museums Diploma Study Course, Dept of Museum Studies, University of Leicester), October 1986, fig. 14
  • Lindley, P, review of Homand, M, 'The Early Tudor Country House: Architecture and Politics 1490-1550' Oxford Art Journal. XI/I, 1988, p. 66, fig. 1
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.31:1, 2-1938

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O309425/fragment-of-a-frieze-frieze-unknown/
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