Prayer Nut Made for François Du Puy

Object Name

Prayer Bead

Artist/Maker

Netherlandish

Object Type

Prayer Bead

Date

probably 1517-1521

Medium

boxwood

Credit Line

Private collection

Object Number

AGO.118200

Location

AGO, Gallery 108 Thomson European, Floor, East Display Table

Institution/Owner

Art Gallery of Ontario

Dimensions

Overall Closed: 52.4mm × 52.7mm (5.2 × 5.3 cm)
Overall Open: 46.9mm × 46.9mm × 100.9mm (4.7 × 4.7 × 10.1 cm)

Upper scene: Virgin and Child enthroned; Lower scene: kneeling monk holds banderole with his name; St. Bruno, identified by his coat of arms, who was the founder of the Carthusian Order that François Du Puy belonged to, stands behind him

Signature, Inscriptions, and Markings

Inscription

Carved Latin inscriptions:
meme[n]to: d: Fra[n] de puteo [carved on banderole in upper scene]
MELIORA SVNT VBERA TVA VINO FRANGRANCIA VNGVETIS OPTIMIS CAN:[Song of Solomon, I: 1-2]
[translated as: for your love is better than wine, pleasing is the fragrance of excellent ointments] [carved around upper scene]
TRANSITE AD ME OMNES QI CONCVPISCITIS ME ECCLE. 24 [Sirach XXIV: 19] [translated as: Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me. ][carved around lower scene]
[source: Scholten 2011, pp 449-450]

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. [p. 22-23, 37, 74-75, 94]

A Prayer-nut for François Du Puy, Burlington Magazine, Frits Scholten, 29 June 2011

Provenance

Sold in Paris through the auction house Libert, 14th April 2010, lot 132; bought by Sam Fogg, London; Private collection

Previous Owner(s)

Unsorted

Subjects

Christianity

Virgin and Child

Virgin in the Sun (Maria in Sole)

Heraldry

Coat of arms

St. Bruno, Carthusian Order