{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O109783"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109783/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KN9741/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KN9741/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018KN9741","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LD0519","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LD0520","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LD0521","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LD0522","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O109783/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O109783","accessionNumber":"W.24-1953","objectType":"Casket","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"From about 1450, boxes decorated with white lead paste (or <i>pastiglia</i>) were widely used as love presents throughout Northern Italy, especially in Venice and Ferrara. Individual pieces of scented white lead were moulded into human figures, horses or other forms, and usually stuck to a gilt background. Virtually identical motifs can be found on other boxes, presumably from the same workshop. Legends of Ancient Rome and love stories from Greek Mythology, such as the Judgement of Paris and the Rape of Helen of Troy on this example, were popular themes on <i>pastiglia</i> boxes.","physicalDescription":"A box decorated with moulded white lead figures and motifs, set on a gilded ground. Flat lid with wreaths, cornucopias and two masks flanked by harpies, garlands; knob. Depressed ball feet.\r\n\r\nScenes from Roman history: \r\nFront: Gaius Marcius Coriolanus entreated by his wife and his mother at the foot of the walls of Rome\r\nEnd: a man holding the severed head of a bearded man\r\nBack: four carracks, three with a man, one with a woman (Helen?)\r\nEnd: Judgment of Paris.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"white lead","id":"AAT13754"},{"text":"gold leaf","id":"x33207"},{"text":"Armenian bole","id":"AAT230251"},{"text":"alder","id":"AAT11918"}],"techniques":[{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"moulding","id":"AAT53134"},{"text":"joinery","id":"x36614"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Softwood with moulded white lead pastiglia figures on a gilded background","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":["2018KN9741","2018LD0519","2018LD0520","2018LD0521","2018LD0522"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES299212"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Casket","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"northern"}],"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":"4.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.375","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"10.5 x 16 x 10.5cm from cat.","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)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Casket, alder wood, Northern Italy, ca. 1500","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Patrick M. de Winter, 'A little known creation of Renaissance decorative arts: the white lead pastiglia box' in Saggi e Memorie di Storia dell'Arte, 14, (1984), pp. 9-42, plates on pp 103-131, cat. no. 60, pl.19"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Paris","id":"N55"},{"text":"David and Goliath","id":"N4528"},{"text":"Helen of Troy","id":"N7518"},{"text":"Coriolanus","id":"N320"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Judgement of Paris","id":"V8"},{"text":"The Rape of Helen of Troy","id":"V668"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Small display curated by James Yorke, gallery 126, 1984-1985\n\nThe lid and base of the box are almost identical to the “Torments of Regulus” box, but for the ivy frieze below the narratives. The frame consists of the legend of Coriolanus, the back four figures in boats, possibly Menelaus, with Athene’s owl to protect him, and Agamemnon in pursuit of Paris and Helen. The left side consists of David with the head of Goliath and on the right, the Judgement of Paris. David reappears in the boat scene, as does the gesticulating Volumnia, Coriolanus’ mother. The Venetian merchant, from the Manlius Curtius composition, reappear in the boat scene and David and Goliath’s head respectively. All the components of the Love Moral scenes workshop townscape appear in the Coriolanus scene. At the bottom are four nails which fix each side to the base. ","date":{"text":"1984-1985","earliest":"1984-01-01","latest":"1985-12-31"}},{"text":"CASKET\r\nAbout 1500\r\n\r\nThe scenes on this casket were taken from Greek mythology, ancient Roman legend and the Bible. They include the Judgement of Paris on the right, and David with the head of Goliath on the left. This marriage of Christian and classical imagery was common during the Renaissance.\r\n\r\nNorthern Italy\r\n\r\nAlder wood, with white-lead based decoration (pastiglia) and gilding\r\n\r\nMuseum no. W.24-1953\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\nGilt wood (alder) with white lead based <i>pastiglia</i> decoration\r\nNORTH ITALIAN, about 1500\r\nW.24-1953\r\nGiven by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.\r\n\r\nThe following stories are illustrated: <I>Coriolanus and the embassy of the Roman women</i> on the front, <i>Agamemmon and Menelaus in pursuit of Paris and Helen</i> on the back, <I>David with the head of Goliath</i>on the left and the <i>Judgement of Paris</i> on the right.","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}},{"text":"BOX (CASSETTA)\r\nGiltwood (alder) with white lead based (<i>pastiglia</i>) decoration\r\nNORTH ITALIAN, about 1500\r\nW.24-1953\r\nGiven by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.\r\n\r\nThe following scenes, taken from Greek mythology, ancient Roman legend and the Bible, were popular and recognisable stories during the Renaissance; <I>Coriolanus and the embassy of the Roman women</i> on the front; <i>Agamemmon and Menelaus in pursuit of Paris and Helen</i> on the back; <I>David with the head of Goliath</i>on the left; <i>Judgement of Paris</i> on the right.","date":{"text":"ca. 2000","earliest":"1995-01-01","latest":"2004-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.24-1953"],"accessionNumberNum":"24","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1953,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-03-01","availableToBook":true}}