Object Name
Artist/Maker
Object Type
Date
1500-1530
Medium
boxwood with metal fittings
Credit Line
The Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Object Number
AGOID.29361
Location
AGO, Gallery 108 Thomson European, Floor, East Display Table
Institution/Owner
Dimensions
Overall Closed: 47.1mm × 55.1mm (4.7 × 5.5 cm)
Overall Open: 51.3mm × 146mm (5.1 × 14.6 cm)
Overall Open: 51.3mm × 146mm (5.1 × 14.6 cm)
Description
Upper main scene: David beheading Goliath in the valley of Elah with Israelites on one side, Philistines on other
lower main scene: David kneeling before Samuel
low relief, outside: Saul and David carrying head of Goliath on sword towards women at gate
low relief, inside: David watching Bathsheba at her bath
left wing, outside: David destroys lion
left wing, inside: David removes Saul's armour
right wing, outside: Samuel blesses David
right wing, inside: David holds Goliath's head before king
Signature, Inscriptions, and Markings
Inscription
Carved Latin inscriptions in Renaissance capitals:
EXPITE GOLIAD CETVS MVLIEBRIS QVANT[um] [outer]
SI SATHANAM VNITIS DIIS QVINQUVE GRAT[us] ERIS [outer]
VENI AD ME DA[BO] CARNES TVAS VOLATILIBUS CELI ET BESTIIS [inner upper]
IN ME INNIQVTAS D[om]INE SERVI TVI NABAL [inner lower]
[source: Molinier Pabst 1890-2]
Samuel [on outer right wing]
EXPITE GOLIAD CETVS MVLIEBRIS QVANT[um] [outer]
SI SATHANAM VNITIS DIIS QVINQUVE GRAT[us] ERIS [outer]
VENI AD ME DA[BO] CARNES TVAS VOLATILIBUS CELI ET BESTIIS [inner upper]
IN ME INNIQVTAS D[om]INE SERVI TVI NABAL [inner lower]
[source: Molinier Pabst 1890-2]
Samuel [on outer right wing]
Markings
Handwritten paper label on verso: 8872
Published References
Ellis, Lisa and Suda, Sasha (Eds). (2016). Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures, exhibition catalogue, 5 November 2016 - 22 January 2017. Toronto, ON: Art Gallery of Ontario. [10-11, 32, 33, 41, 82, 83, back cover]
Emile Molinier and Arthur Pabst “Les sculptures en buis et pierre de Munich” La Collection Spitzer III (Paris: Maison Quantin, 1891); Catalogue des Objets d'Art et de Haute Curiosite, Collection Spitzer, 1893, no. 2134, p. 95; Charles Mannheim, Catalogue des objets d’art et de haute curiosité … composant la collection de feu M. Charles Stein (Paris, 1899, p 23 no. 88);
Emile Molinier and Arthur Pabst “Les sculptures en buis et pierre de Munich” La Collection Spitzer III (Paris: Maison Quantin, 1891); Catalogue des Objets d'Art et de Haute Curiosite, Collection Spitzer, 1893, no. 2134, p. 95; Charles Mannheim, Catalogue des objets d’art et de haute curiosité … composant la collection de feu M. Charles Stein (Paris, 1899, p 23 no. 88);
Catalogue Raisonné
Mannheim 1899, no. 88; Molinier Pabst 1891, no. 12; Romanelli 78
Provenance
Provenance
Frédéric Spitzer, Paris 1893. Charles Stein, Paris 1899. Bourgeois frères Collection, Cologne, sold 27 October 1904, lot 1102. Ken Thomson (via Hermann Baer) at Sotheby-Parke Bernet, Monaco, 24 June 1976 (lot 309); Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario
Previous Owner(s)
Frédéric Spitzer
Charles Stein