To Serve and Project: The Dudley Box, 1579

This pretty little box was made in England in 1579 to hold sweetmeats. Gifts of sweetmeats, sugared fruits and candies were traditional presents at New Year in the Royal Court. Sometimes these were presented in special, and often precious, containers such as this one.

The crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) is inlaid im silver in the lid. Dudley was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and was, therefore, a very important fella about the court. No doubt, this box must have been made especially for Dudley as a New Year's gift.

Curiously, after the box had been donated to the V&A, it was untouched for many years. In fact, it was not opened until 1968 when the crest of Dudley and inscribed date was discovered for the first time.

The box is decorated in the technique known as damascening, a process, especially popular in the Sixteenth Century, in which gold and silver ribbon is forced into a cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool. The base iron was darkened with heat and chemicals so that it would develop a blue or black hue which would contrast with the gold and silver ornament.

Precious Time: A Sixteenth Century Mechanical Clock

Click on image to enlarge.
Mechanical Clock
Sixteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Mechanical clocks were the iPads of the Sixteenth Century. Okay, not really. But, they were the epitome of Sixteenth Century technical ingenuity. Not only were they functional and attractive, they were also costly status symbols. Functional though they were, they were not too dependable and, well…at this point in history, people actually had better luck telling time by watching the movement of the sun.

Here’s a great example of a Sixteenth Century mechanical clock. While the clockworks are a replacement, the construction of the case and mechanism, in which a mythical monster (perhaps a griffin) supports the dial, is very similar to others of the same period—specifically in that the mechanism is hidden in the base and not in the figure itself.

When the clock was striking the hours, the monster’s beak opened and closed and, his wings flapped. Neat!

Honestly, the only thing in the then-near future, that threatened the dominance of the mechanical clock was the development of the steam engine in the late Eighteenth Century.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Dudley Box, 1579

This pretty little box was made in England in 1579 to hold sweetmeats.  Gifts of sweetmeats, sugared fruits and candies were traditional presents at New Year in the Royal Court.  Sometimes these were presented in special, and often precious, containers such as this one.   

The crest of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (died 1588) is inlaid im silver in the lid. Dudley was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and was, therefore, a very important fella about the court.  No doubt, this box must have been made especially for Dudley as a New Year's gift.

Curiously, after the box had been donated to the V&A, it was untouched for many years.  In fact, it was not opened until 1968 when the crest of Dudley and inscribed date  was discovered for the first time.

The box is decorated in the technique known as damascening, a process, especially popular in the Sixteenth Century, in which gold and silver ribbon is forced into a cross hatched surface of iron using a copper tool. The base iron was darkened with heat and chemicals so that it would develop a blue or black hue which would contrast with the gold and silver ornament.  

Painting of the Day: A Watercolor by LeMoyne, 1575

Botanical Watercolor
Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues, 1575
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Huguenot artist, Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues (1533-1588) created this drawing as part of his album of 59 botanical watercolors in 1575. This leaf from the folio shows an iris stem terminating in two blossoms.

For centuries, LeMoyne was thought of only as a basic artist who provided images for simple woodcuts, the rediscovery of this album in the early Twentieth Century altered this perception. Now, he’s been given his due as one of the most important and prolific botanical painters in history. 

The Home Beautiful: The Chateau d'Ecouen Tile, 1542

Tin-glazed earthenware tile.
Rouen, France, 1542
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This earthenware tile looks like the sort made in the Nineteenth Century. When I was sifting through images for this week’s posts, I came upon this object and made a note to myself about the “jester tile from 1840.” But, this is no Victorian tile—it’s about three hundred years older than that. 

The tile was made in 1542 in Rouen, France of buff earthenware with a tin glaze. Image. It’s in remarkable shape for being from the Sixteenth Century. Painted with a pointy-eared jester, the tile is likely to be one of a series of similarly-painted tiles from the workshop of Masseot Abaquesne. Other tiles from that set—made for use in pavement at the Chateau d'Ecouen --bear the arms of Anne de Montmorency impaling those of his wife Madelaine of Savoy. 

It's believed that the jester tile is associated with this group from the Chateau d'Ecouen.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Salting Salamander, 16th C.

The Salting Salamander
Europe, Sixteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A large Baroque pearl forms the body of this salamander. Jewelers have always appreciated the irregularity of the baroque pearl which affords a chance to be creative. Renaissance jewelers especially enjoyed the challenge of taking the natural shape of the pearl and forcing it into the very controlled compositions of the era. 

Made in the Sixteenth Century, this European pendant, known as the Salting Salamander, was treasured not only for its beauty, but also for its symbolic meaning. Since antiquity, salamanders were thought to be impervious to fire. Aristotle and Pliny actually claimed that a salamander had the power to extinguish flames. Within time, the salamander became a symbol of fire itself and was often used to communicate ardent passion. It’s likely this pendant served as a token of affection.

The pendant, hung with a pearl, is meant to be viewed from all sides and represents a salamander in three dimensions.  A table-cut emerald is set at the creature's head and the whole is adorned with fine enamel work.

Its last owner, George Salting, bequeathed the piece to the V&A in 1910. 

Unusual Artifacts: The Paul Aettinger Nautilus Cup, 1590

Silver Gilt Cup Mimicking Ornamental Nautilus Cups
Paul Aettinger, 1590
The Victoria & Albert Museum

During the second half of the Sixteenth and at the dawn of the Seventeenth Century, ornamental stemmed cups made of Nautilus Shells were popular, luxurious novelties for display in the homes of wealthy gentlemen. The bowls of the cups were made from the shells of sea snails, the Nautilus pompilius—an exotic and rare material which was often fashionably set in silver. Such cups were adorned with a marine motif, typically with figures of sea monsters, mermaids and, often with a finial shaped like Neptune. 

This silver gilt ornamental standing cup, made in Regensburg, Germany and dating to about 1590, is made in the shape of a nautilus shell to mimic those featuring the real thing. The cup’s figural stem takes the form of a female. As was typical, the whole is surmounted by a figure of Neptune with trident and chain. Famed German silversmith Paul Aettinger created this beautiful work of art. 

Painting of the Day: Anne of Denmark, 1614

Anne of Denmark
Attributed to Marcus Gheeradts the Younger, 1614
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This lovely portrait is attributed to Marcus Gheeradts the Younger (c.1561-1635). The work of oil on panel dates to 1614 and depicts Anne of Denmark in an interior. She’s adorned in her regal jewels and a beautifully embroidered dress. 

The painting was first recorded in the Royal Collection during the reign of King James II. 

Painting of the Day: A Watercolor by LeMoyne, 1575

Botanical Watercolor
Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues, 1575
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Huguenot artist, Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues (1533-1588) created this drawing as part of his album of 59 botanical watercolors in 1575. This leaf from the folio shows an iris stem terminating in two blossoms.

For centuries, LeMoyne was thought of only as a basic artist who provided images for simple woodcuts, the rediscovery of this album in the early Twentieth Century altered this perception. Now, he’s been given his due as one of the most important and prolific botanical painters in history. 

Precious Time: A Sixteenth Century Mechanical Clock

Click on image to enlarge.
Mechanical Clock
Sixteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Mechanical clocks were the iPads of the Sixteenth Century. Okay, not really. But, they were the epitome of Sixteenth Century technical ingenuity. Not only were they functional and attractive, they were also costly status symbols. Functional though they were, they were not too dependable and, well…at this point in history, people actually had better luck telling time by watching the movement of the sun.

Here’s a great example of a Sixteenth Century mechanical clock. While the clockworks are a replacement, the construction of the case and mechanism, in which a mythical monster (perhaps a griffin) supports the dial, is very similar to others of the same period—specifically in that the mechanism is hidden in the base and not in the figure itself.

When the clock was striking the hours, the monster’s beak opened and closed and, his wings flapped. Neat!

Honestly, the only thing in the then-near future, that threatened the dominance of the mechanical clock was the development of the steam engine in the late Eighteenth Century.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Purse of Mary, Queen of Scots, 16th C.

Purse
Sixteenth Century
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A shimmering masterwork of silk, embroidered in silver and gold thread, this pear-shaped purse is said to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. The purse is adorned with a crossed sword and scepter below a crown. On the reverse, a dove with an olive branch has been embroidered below a scroll. The purse was bequeathed by Lord Belhaven,  who long asserted that the Sixteenth-Century piece belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, to Queen Victoria.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Salting Salamander, 16th C.

The Salting Salamander
Europe, Sixteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A large Baroque pearl forms the body of this salamander. Jewelers have always appreciated the irregularity of the baroque pearl which affords a chance to be creative. Renaissance jewelers especially enjoyed the challenge of taking the natural shape of the pearl and forcing it into the very controlled compositions of the era. 

Made in the Sixteenth Century, this European pendant, known as the Salting Salamander, was treasured not only for its beauty, but also for its symbolic meaning. Since antiquity, salamanders were thought to be impervious to fire. Aristotle and Pliny actually claimed that a salamander had the power to extinguish flames. Within time, the salamander became a symbol of fire itself and was often used to communicate ardent passion. It’s likely this pendant served as a token of affection.

The pendant, hung with a pearl, is meant to be viewed from all sides and represents a salamander in three dimensions.  A table-cut emerald is set at the creature's head and the whole is adorned with fine enamel work.

Its last owner, George Salting, bequeathed the piece to the V&A in 1910. 

Unusual Artifacts: The Paul Aettinger Nautilus Cup, 1590

Silver Gilt Cup Mimicking Ornamental Nautilus Cups
Paul Aettinger, 1590
The Victoria & Albert Museum

During the second half of the Sixteenth and at the dawn of the Seventeenth Century, ornamental stemmed cups made of Nautilus Shells were popular, luxurious novelties for display in the homes of wealthy gentlemen. The bowls of the cups were made from the shells of sea snails, the Nautilus pompilius—an exotic and rare material which was often fashionably set in silver. Such cups were adorned with a marine motif, typically with figures of sea monsters, mermaids and, often with a finial shaped like Neptune. 

This silver gilt ornamental standing cup, made in Regensburg, Germany and dating to about 1590, is made in the shape of a nautilus shell to mimic those featuring the real thing. The cup’s figural stem takes the form of a female. As was typical, the whole is surmounted by a figure of Neptune with trident and chain. Famed German silversmith Paul Aettinger created this beautiful work of art. 

The Home Beautiful: The Chateau d'Ecouen Tile, 1542

Tin-glazed earthenware tile.
Rouen, France, 1542
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This earthenware tile looks like the sort made in the Nineteenth Century. When I was sifting through images for this week’s posts, I came upon this object and made a note to myself about the “jester tile from 1840.” But, this is no Victorian tile—it’s about three hundred years older than that. 

The tile was made in 1542 in Rouen, France of buff earthenware with a tin glaze. Image. It’s in remarkable shape for being from the Sixteenth Century. Painted with a pointy-eared jester, the tile is likely to be one of a series of similarly-painted tiles from the workshop of Masseot Abaquesne. Other tiles from that set—made for use in pavement at the Chateau d'Ecouen --bear the arms of Anne de Montmorency impaling those of his wife Madelaine of Savoy. 

It's believed that the jester tile is associated with this group from the Chateau d'Ecouen.

Painting of the Day: A Watercolor by LeMoyne, 1575

Botanical Watercolor
Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues, 1575
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Huguenot artist, Jacques LeMoyne de Morgues (1533-1588) created this drawing as part of his album of 59 botanical watercolors in 1575. This leaf from the folio shows an iris stem terminating in two blossoms.

For centuries, LeMoyne was thought of only as a basic artist who provided images for simple woodcuts, the rediscovery of this album in the early Twentieth Century altered this perception. Now, he’s been given his due as one of the most important and prolific botanical painters in history. 

Painting of the Day: Anne of Denmark, 1614

Anne of Denmark
Attributed to Marcus Gheeradts the Younger, 1614
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This lovely portrait is attributed to Marcus Gheeradts the Younger (c.1561-1635). The work of oil on panel dates to 1614 and depicts Anne of Denmark in an interior. She’s adorned in her regal jewels and a beautifully embroidered dress. 

The painting was first recorded in the Royal Collection during the reign of King James II. 

Gifts of Grandeur: Bracelet from a Parure with Cameos

Bracelet from the Cameo Parure
Italian
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This bracelet was made in Turin, Italy in 1829 and is assembled from cameos which were carved between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. The bracelet is part of a parure of pieces comprised of cameos set in frames of Burmese rubies set in closed gold collets. The rubies are foiled to enhance their fire. 

The parure was purchased by Queen Mary, consort of King George V. The cameos on the bracelet depicts scenes from Roman history as well as mythological subjects such as cupid, Mars and Venus and a depiction of the sacrifice of a goat.

Unusual Artifacts: Italian Ruff Edging, 1600-1620

Click image to enlarge.
Ruff Edging
Italy, 1600-1620
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A delicate pattern cut into fine linen creates this handsome bit of edging which was once a part of a fine ruff. Made between 1600 and 1620, the ruff comes from Italy and shows the ingenuity of early Seventeenth Century cutwork. Needle lace stitches around the cut edges complete the pattern and keep the cut ends of the linen from fraying.

Ruffs such as this were the height of fashion in the late Sixteenth and early Seventeenth Centuries. They were used to adorn daily dress and were especially meant to draw attention to a person’s face and throat, acting like a white frame.

Though only the edging remains, the V&A has recreated how it was used by displaying it on the edge of a newly created linen ruff in the style of Seventeenth Century Italian fashion. It really is an elegant bit of work, this remnant of edging with its row of cutwork squares featuring two alternating geometric designs. An outer row of cutwork pointed scallops and a narrow bobbin lace heading finish the piece. 

Precious Time: A Sixteenth Century Mechanical Clock

Click on image to enlarge.
Mechanical Clock
Sixteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Mechanical clocks were the iPads of the Sixteenth Century. Okay, not really. But, they were the epitome of Sixteenth Century technical ingenuity. Not only were they functional and attractive, they were also costly status symbols. Functional though they were, they were not too dependable and, well…at this point in history, people actually had better luck telling time by watching the movement of the sun.

Here’s a great example of a Sixteenth Century mechanical clock. While the clockworks are a replacement, the construction of the case and mechanism, in which a mythical monster (perhaps a griffin) supports the dial, is very similar to others of the same period—specifically in that the mechanism is hidden in the base and not in the figure itself.

When the clock was striking the hours, the monster’s beak opened and closed and, his wings flapped. Neat!

Honestly, the only thing in the then-near future, that threatened the dominance of the mechanical clock was the development of the steam engine in the late Eighteenth Century.

Painting of the Day: A Sixteenth-Century Flemish Portrait

Rendered in thick strokes of rich greens, umbers and yellows, this portrait of a young man most likely comes from the County of Flanders and dates to the late Sixteenth Century. The County of Flanders overlapped parts of present-day Belgium. We can tell this painting is Flemish by the style of the young man’s cap and dress. Artist’s apprentices of the time were attired in outfits such as this.

With his sullen, expectant expression, the subject radiates an adolescent insecurity—the emotions of someone learning a craft during an uncertain time. Still in its original frame, the painting is flanked by leather straps which form a decorative pattern around the canvas. An unusual find, I am fond of this painting because of the raw emotion that it exhibits. Here is proof of the mastery of Flemish painting—the ability to create a fully formed portrait from a limited color palette and loose brush strokes.