{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O349471"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O349471/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O349471","accessionNumber":"A.16-1971","objectType":"Intaglio","titles":[{"title":"The Nativity","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Intaglio, rock crystal, mounted in gold with gold chain, one gold terminal and clasps. At the top, the Virgin, haloed, lies on a bench, a star above her head a little to the right. Below the Child, haloed, les in an oval crib. Below again two midwives bath the Child in a tub- the Child stands in the tub, the midwife on the righ supports Him while the midwife on the left holds a jug over His head; a third midwife, Salome (?), looks on from the left. \r\n\r\nThe crystal, slightly scratched and abraded with a large chip gashing through the Child in the tub is carved in reverse intaglio, masked by a segment of crystal a the back, the two bound by a gold collar chased with a guilloche pattern. The complex is suspended from a ribbed loop on a chain of finely plaited gold wire bearing a sliding round terminal and clasps. Originally, gold foil was probably placed between the two segements of crystal.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"rock crystal","id":"AAT11152"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Rock crystal, gold","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Gemstones","id":"THES270329"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"031","id":"THES395776"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Intaglio","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Istanbul","id":"x33871"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 6th century","earliest":"0550-01-01","latest":"0600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.86","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Robin Symes.","historicalContext":"A second rock crystal with a representation of the Maries at the Sepulchre and the Ascension, also mounted in gold, with gold chain, of the same date and provenance was offered by Mr Symes and subsequently bought by the British Museum.","briefDescription":"Intaglio, Nativity; Rock crystal/gold mounts Byzantine 6th cent","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kornblatt, G. 'Early Byzatine Crystals: An Assessment' in <u>Journal of the Walters Art Gallery</u>, 52/53, 1994/1995, p. 24, no. 22, fig. 20, p. 26"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Leveto, P. 'A Byzatntine gold and rock crystal pendant' in <u>Indiana University Art Museum Bulletin</u>, I, 1977/8, pp. 44-57."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Weitzmann, K. <u>The Fresco Cycle of S. Maria di Castelseprie</u>, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1951, pl. XXII, fig. 47 and 48."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beckwith, J. <u>Early Christian and Byzantine Art</u>, Pelican History of Art, 1970, p. 69."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beckwith, J. <u>Ivory carvings in Early Medieval England</u>, London, 1972, pp. 10-11."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beckwith, John. 'Some Early Byzantine rock crystals', <u>Studies in memory of David Talbot Rice</u>, ed. Giles Robertson and George Henderson, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 1975, pp. 1."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"Nativity","id":"V23"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.16-1971"],"accessionNumberNum":"16","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1971,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW7169"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-03","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}