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Front panel (fragment of a casket) with quatrefoils (coffret; quatre-feuilles) (Front)

Front panel (fragment of a casket) with quatrefoils (coffret; quatre-feuilles) (Front)
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Subject
Secular. Courtly love.

Repository Institution
www.nms.ac.uk

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Edinburgh, National Museum of Scotland

Inv. A.1887.450

Ivory;metal (nails)

Height: 57mm
Width: 142mm
Depth: 5mm

Courting couples (meeting of lovers); couple conversing. Youth chucking his lover under the chin. Male bearded figure supporting the lock. Couples conversing.

Museum's opinion 2015: France, 14th century.


Attribution
Unknown

Reverse
Extensive traces of glue and paper with decorative motifs in red. Label with inscription: 'Ivory panel (one of four). Bt. at Christie, Manson and Woods (Nesbitt's sale), May, '87 £ 19...17/'. Blue and white round label with inscription '86/4'. White round label with inscription '69/4'.

Object Condition
Green stains left by the lost metal fittings.
Missing: lock plate.
Holes for the lost fittings. Lower edge chipped.

Comments
This panel once formed the front panel of a casket, as is shown by the hole left by the missing lock; three other sides of the casket have survived also at the National Museum of Scotland (Inv. A.1887.450 A-C; see related objects), but the lid is missing.

Provenance
Collection of Alexander Nesbitt (b. 1817, d. 1886), Sussex antiquarian: his sale, Christie's, Manson & co, London, May 1887; acquired by the museum at this sale.


Image

© National Museums Scotland.

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