{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O313107"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O313107/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD1372/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD1372/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AD1372","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV0962","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O313107/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O313107","accessionNumber":"A.122-1937","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"Portrait of John Roe","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This ivory medallion relief is by Gaspar van der Hagen, and represents John Roe. John Roe (1672-1742) left this framed portrait to Mrs. Judith Norris (1703-1779), describing it in his will of 1742 as “A three quarter fface cut in Ivory made for my self set in a Brass Rim with a Motto and my Name in a black pear Tree square fframe”. She was the eldest daughter of Robert Western , a merchant residing in the City of London, in whose house Roe lived and worked as “my booke keeper” until Western’s death in 1728. Roe was a devout Anglican and the inscription ‘content is a treasure’ on the brass surround should probably be understood in the context of Christian contentment as a rare jewel. The letters G. VD R inscribed on the ivory are a cipher of Gaspar Vanderhagen, a Flemish sculptor who had trained in Antwerp and who was working in London by 1733 as an assistant to the statuary Michael Rysbrack (information kindly supplied by Gordon Balderston).","physicalDescription":"Oval relief in ivory representing an elderly man looking to his right, in a loosely curled wig reaching to his shoulders. He wears a chemise and cravat, and an unbuttoned jacket under a loose cloak. Signed below the right arm. Inscribed in ink on the back.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Vanderhagen, Gaspar","id":"AUTH345529"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":"Monogrammed GVDR"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"pearwood","id":"x34734"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ivory in wood and brass frame with brass ring for suspension","categories":[{"text":"Reliefs","id":"THES49035"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Medallions","id":"THES49034"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AD1372","2017JV0962"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES395442"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":"AAT53622"}],[{"text":"Medallion","id":"x31798"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Probably"},{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"produced"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"Before 1742","earliest":null,"latest":"1741-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"ivory alone","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"ivory alone","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"whole","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"'John Roe. Contente is a Treasure'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The inscription is inked on the reverse of the peardwood mount, possibly n the 19th century."},{"content":"'JOHN ROE CONTENT IS A TREASURE'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The inscription, slightly differing from the inked one, lacking an 'e' in 'Content', and not in upper case, is on the brass mount of the frame."}],"objectHistory":"Purchased through Alfred Spero at Sotheby's November 19, 1937, lot 179 for £32. Formerly on loan to the Museum (until 1929) from Mr W. Saunders Fiske, a solicitor (d. 1932); Mr Fiske bequeathed ceramics and miniatures to the Museum.\r\nPROVENANCE (courtesy of Gordon Balderston):\r\n•\tJohn Roe (1672-1742), the sitter; by whom bequeathed in 1742 to\r\n•\tJudith Norris née Western (1703-1779), eldest daughter of Roe’s employer by 1717\r\n•\tElizabeth Norris (1734-1822), above’s daughter, sole beneficiary and executrix\r\n•\tWilliam Sanders [sic] Fiske (Taunton, 14 August 1866-18 March 1932, 35a Hyde Park Gate, London SW7; wed 25 August 1897 Grace Baldry)  of Gedge, Fiske & Co., solicitors; by whom loaned to museum until 1929\r\nSold at auction in 1937 by order of Mrs Vanda Howden, his daughter and executrix. Sotheby & Co., 34 & 35 New Bond Street,, London, November 18-19, 1937, second day’s sale, lot 179, bought for £32 by Alfred Spero on behalf of Museum.\r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Medallion relief, carved ivory, portrait of John Roe, by Gaspar van der Hagen (monogrammed GVDR), Netherlandish, produced in Britain, before 1742.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Theuerkauff, C. <u>Elfenbein: Sammlung Reiner Winkler.</u> Munich, 1984, pp.105-7, cat. no. 55"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Review [1911-1938], <u>Victoria & Albert Museum. Review of the Principal Acquisitions during the Year</u>, London, 1937, p. 5"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Trusted, Marjorie, <u>Baroque & Later Ivories</u>, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 125"}],"production":"Signed 'G. VD. R' [sic]","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.122-1937"],"accessionNumberNum":"122","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1937,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-27","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}