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Mirror Case

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Mirror Case

Date:
1350–75
Geography:
Made in possibly Paris, France
Culture:
French
Medium:
Elephant ivory
Dimensions:
Overall: 4 3/8 x 4 1/8 x 7/16 in. (11.1 x 10.4 x 1.1 cm) diameter: 4 in. (10.1 cm)
Classification:
Ivories
Credit Line:
Gift of George Blumenthal, 1941
Accession Number:
41.100.160

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 306

  • Description

    Ivory mirror cases were usually carved in pairs to protect a polished metal disk within, which was opened by means of a bayonette mechanism. Often mentioned in inventories and wills, few pairs survive and none with its protective leather case. As forerunners of the modern compact, they were destined primarily for aristocratic owners. Carved in Paris in the middle of the fourteenth century, this example depicts men and ladies in a forest as they hunt with falcons. The link between the sport of falconry and courtly love was a frequent subject in medieval literature, so the playful imagery on the mirror back can also be read as a hunt for love.

  • Provenance

    Frédéric Spitzer (d. 1890), Paris (by 1890–until 1893); Oscar Hainauer ((1840s?–June 22, 1894)), Berlin; Frau Julie Hainauer ((1884–1906)), Berlin (until 1906); [ Duveen Brothers, London, Paris and New York (in 1906)]; George and Florence Blumenthal, Paris and New York (by 1926-1941)

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    In the Museum
    Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
    MetPublications
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