Object Name
Artist/Maker
Object Type
Date
c. 1500
Medium
boxwood
Credit Line
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Ruth Blumka, in honor of Ashton Hawkins, 1985
Object Number
1985.136
Location
Not currently on display
Institution/Owner
External Link
Dimensions
Overall Width x Length: 2.1 × 6.2 cm (13/16 × 2 7/16 in.)
Description
Memento Mori: Dives in Hell
Signature, Inscriptions, and Markings
Inscription
Carved Latin inscriptions:
IN PVNCTO [top of the outer lid]
AD INFER/NA [outside of the inner lid]
DESCEND/VNT [inside of outer lid]
FI ECO/RDARE QVIA RECEPISTI BONA/IN VITA TVA LAZARUS SIMILIT MA [inside of inner lid]
PATER ABRAHAM MISER MEI MITTE LAZARUM [on banderole around figure on bottom]
[source: Met site]
IN PVNCTO [top of the outer lid]
AD INFER/NA [outside of the inner lid]
DESCEND/VNT [inside of outer lid]
FI ECO/RDARE QVIA RECEPISTI BONA/IN VITA TVA LAZARUS SIMILIT MA [inside of inner lid]
PATER ABRAHAM MISER MEI MITTE LAZARUM [on banderole around figure on bottom]
[source: Met site]
Published References
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "One Hundred Fifteenth Annual Report of the Trustees for the Fiscal Year July 1, 1984, through June 30, 1985." Annual Report of the Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 115 (1985). p. 44; The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Recent Acquisitions, 1985-1986 (Metropolitan Museum of Art) (1986). p. 18; Wixom, William D., ed. Mirror of the Medieval World. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1999. no. 283, p. 223; Barnet, Peter, and Nancy Y. Wu. The Cloisters: Medieval Art and Architecture. New York and New Haven: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005. no. 114, pp. 157, 199; Evans, Helen C., ed. The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions – Online Catalogue. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2008; Barnet, Peter, and Nancy Y. Wu. The Cloisters: Medieval Art and Architecture. 75th Anniversary ed. New York and New Haven: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012. p. 165
Provenance
Provenance
Mrs. Otto H. Kahn (Mogmar Art Foundation), New York (sold 1943, to Brummer) ; [Brummer Gallery, Paris and New York (1943–sold 1949)] ; Joseph Brummer Collection sale, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York (May 11–14, 1949); Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford (1949–reported stolen 1971; 1949.173); Ruth and Leopold Blumka, New York (until 1985); The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1985–2020; 1985.136); Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford (returned 2020)
Previous Owner(s)
Otto H. Kahn
Joseph Brummer Collection
Parke-Bernet Galleries
Leopold Blumka