{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O109732"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109732/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE6346/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE6346/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BE6346","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JR9433","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KN9767","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LD0430","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O109732/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O109732","accessionNumber":"W.20-1953","objectType":"Casket","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"By about 1450, boxes decorated with scented white lead paste (or <i>pastiglia</i>) were fashionable throughout Northern Italy, especially in Ferrara and Venice. They were often given as love presents. This casket is decorated with grotesque creatures, probably based on popular prints, and also with scenes of classical ruins, which were a common sight throughout Italy. Most surviving boxes of this type had <i>pastiglia</i> motifs stuck to a patterned, gilded surface, but on this example they are applied to a ground of crushed glass, which is most rare.","physicalDescription":"Soft wood decorated in relief with a paste of white lead and egg-white binder and applied against a ground sprinkled with grains of mineral of glass over red pigment  Rectangular form with hinged lid and interior painted azure blue. Four squat bun feet. On top of the lid, below a winged mask a vase centred between grotesque confronting birds whose elongated tails terminate in flowered scrolls. In front on either side of a pedestal of flowers nude cherubs are teasing confronting monsters with addorsed heads on whose backs winged satyrs affront fierce birds. On the back, a similar grotesque design. On each side is a winged mask above an urn, flanked by winged satyrs standing on flowers. Round the rim of the lid is a guilloche border and round that of the base a border of acanthus leaves.\n\nV&amp;A Science Section report (Jo. Darrah), May 1986:\nA tiny sample of wood from inside the box, was identified as poplar (Populus. sp.)\nRed (microscopic examination) - apparently crushed glass, possibly coloured using arsenic\nBlue (microscopic examination) - apparently azurite, with copper (XRF)\nGreen (microscopic examination and XRF) - copper\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"alder","id":"AAT11918"},{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"},{"text":"white lead","id":"AAT13754"},{"text":"egg white","id":"AAT191730"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulding","id":"AAT53134"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood with grains of glass and moulded pastiglia decoration","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Woodwork","id":"THES48877"},{"text":"Medieval and renaissance","id":"THES271264"}],"styles":[{"text":"Renaissance","id":"AAT21140"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006BE6346","2017JR9433","2018KN9767","2018LD0430"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES299212"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES299212"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Casket","id":""}],[{"text":"Foot","id":"AAT233911"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1500","earliest":"1495-01-01","latest":"1504-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"120","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"200","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"12","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"PASTIGLIA BOXES\r\nGilt <i>pastiglia</i> boxes were mostly made in Venice and Ferrara from about 1480 until 1550. <i>Pastiglia</i> or <i>pasta</i> is the name given to white lead paste, bound with egg white. This was often scented and described in contemporary inventories as <i>pasta di muschio</i> (musk paste). The <i>pastiglia</i> figures and motifs were shaped with a lead mould and then glued to the gilt surface of the box - hence their frequent recurrence on other boxes. The boxes are decorated with legends of Ancient Rome and the scenes copied from woodcuts such as Jacobus Argentoratensis' <i>Triumph of Caesar</i> (Venice, 1504) or illustrations of Livy's <i>Roman History</i>.\r\n(Label text, circa 2000, from old Medieval & Renaissance Galleries)\n\nRP: 53/1314","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Casket, wood with glass and moulded pastiglia decoration, Itlian, 1500-10","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"W.Hildburgh, 'On some Italian Renaissance caskets with <i>pastiglia</i> decoration',   <i>The Antiquaries Hournal</i>, Vol. XXVI (July - October 1946), pp. 136-137; pl. XXIII, figs, a, d."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Patrick de Winter: \"A little-known creation of Renaissance decorative arts: the white lead pastigilia box\", <i>Saggi e Memorie di Storia dell' Arte</i>, 14 (1984), pp. 9 - 131. Cat. no. 65, pl. 33"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Medusa","id":"N86"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"satyrs","id":"x35233"},{"text":"birds","id":"x34973"},{"text":"sea monsters","id":"x35278"},{"text":"grotesques","id":"AAT10211"},{"text":"putti","id":"AAT250465"},{"text":"Gorgon","id":"x38781"},{"text":"acanthus","id":"AAT164902"},{"text":"ruin","id":"AAT8057"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Small display curated by James Yorke, gallery 126, 1984-1985\r\n\r\nThe box is decorated with pastiglia on a ground of red crystal on paste. On the lid a laurel wreathed rectangle encloses mythica; monsters such as two gryphons either side of an urn, which is crowned with a Medusa’s head, flanked by a Satyr-putto, on either side. The lid is bordered with an interlacing patter, which is repeated on the sides. The front is decorated with monsters, winged devils and putti that flank a fountain of love. A winged herm is bisected, and the halves are placed at both ends. The design is repeated on the back. On the left side, a Medusa’s head seems to emanate from an urn and is flanked by a demon at each end standing on an acanthus flower. Judging from traces of pigments on the pastiglia, it would seem that the colour scheme would originally have been blue and green on a red background. ","date":{"text":"1984-1985","earliest":"1984-01-01","latest":"1985-12-31"}},{"text":"<i>Below</i>\r\nCASKET with grotesque ornament and Medusa heads\r\n1500-10\r\n\r\nHere the pastiglia has a ground of crushed glass, not gilding, which gives the casket a shimmering effect. The symmetrical ornament is known as 'grotesque', after the painted decorations in <i>grotte</i> or underground rooms unearthed in Rome during the 1490s. The face of the snake-haired goddess Medusa, whose gaze turned all to stone, glares from the lid and sides.\r\n\r\nItaly\r\n\r\nWhite-lead based decoration (pastiglia) with crushed glass\r\n\r\nMuseum no. W.20-1953\r\nGiven by Dr W.L. Hildburgh FSA","date":{"text":"2008","earliest":"2008-01-01","latest":"2008-12-31"}},{"text":"CASKETS\r\n\r\nIn the 15th and 16th centuries most people stored small belongings in a casket (cassetta) rather than drawers. Despite their locks, these caskets are unlikely to have contained valuables, as their light wooden frames and delicate ornament (white lead mixed with egg, called pastiglia) are not secure. Instead, they probably held trinkets or toiletries such as tooth and ear picks.","date":{"text":"2008","earliest":"2008-01-01","latest":"2008-12-31"}},{"text":"BOX (CASSETTA)\r\nWhite lead based <i>pastiglia</i> decoration on a ground of crushed glass, decorated with grotesque figures and a Medusa's head.\r\nNORTH ITALIAN, about 1500\r\nW.20-1953\r\nGiven by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.\r\n\r\nPastiglia boxes of this type are rare but another is in the collections of the <i>Fondazione Cini</i> in Venice.","date":{"text":"before 2006","earliest":null,"latest":"2005-12-31"}},{"text":"BOX (CASSETTA)\r\nWith a white lead based <i>pastiglia</i> decoration, on a ground of verdigris and crushed red glass.\r\nNORTH ITALIAN, about 1500\r\nW.20-1953\r\nGiven by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.\r\n\r\nDecorated with grotesque figures and a Medusa's head.\r\nPastiglia boxes of this type are rare but another is in the collection of the <i>Fondazione Cini</i> in Venice.","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.20:1-1953","W.20:2-1953"],"accessionNumberNum":"20","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1953,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2021MW3395","2021MW3396"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2005-03-01","availableToBook":true}}