{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O89143"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O89143/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9320/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE9320/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AE9320","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU4392","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O89143/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O89143","accessionNumber":"A.12-1938","objectType":"Intaglio","titles":[{"title":"The Adoration of the shepherds","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The art of engraving gemstones has been admired since the early days of the Roman empire. It was revived in Europe during the Renaissance, and again in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cameos and intaglios were prized and collected, sometimes as symbols of power and mounted in jewelled settings, sometimes as small objects for private devotion or enjoyment. A coloured backing was sometimes used to enhance the carving of a rock crystal engraving. Here, a soft paste of gold, ground and mixed with wax and possibly honey, has been pressed into the cavities on the reverse. A second layer of ultramarine and wax completes the rich effect.","physicalDescription":"The Virgin and St. Joseph sit facing each other on the right and left of the composition. Between them the Child lies in a wicker basket set diagonally across the picture. Behind are two shepherds, and an ox and an ass while an angel holding a scroll floats in the sky above. The background is composed of a classical building and a stable. Behind the Virgin on the base of the building is shown the signature of the artist: 'JOAN / NES'.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bernardi, Giovanni Desiderio","id":"A11451"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"quartz crystal","id":"AAT11152"},{"text":"gold leaf","id":"x33207"},{"text":"ultramarine blue","id":"AAT13200"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Rock crystal, with gold and ultramarine on reverse","categories":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Christmas","id":"THES48977"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AE9320","2017JU4392"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"111","id":"THES49918"},"free":"","case":"CA9","shelf":"3","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Intaglio the adoration of the shepherds","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1525-1550","earliest":"1525-01-01","latest":"1550-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'JOAN / NES'.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"Behind the Virgin on the base of the building.","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":"Signature; Behind the Virgin on the base of the building."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Rock crystal with gold leaf and ultramarine ground, Italian, by Giovanni Bernardi (1496-1553), about 1547","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Trusted, Marjorie (ed.) <u>The Making of Sculpture. The Materials and techniques of European Sculpture.</u> London, 2007, p.146, pl. 277."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kris, E. <u>Steinschneidekunst in des Italienischen Renaissance.</u> Vienna, 1929, p.167, pl. 68, 271."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Burlington Magazine.</u> December 1937, pp.284, 285"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mary (Virgin Mary)","id":"N480"},{"text":"Joseph (of Nazareth, Saint)","id":"N614"},{"text":"Jesus","id":"N58"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"The Adoration of the Shepherds","id":"V162"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"ox","id":"x30395"},{"text":"donkey","id":"x30112"},{"text":"shepherd","id":"AAT25617"},{"text":"angel","id":"x30526"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.12-1938"],"accessionNumberNum":"12","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1938,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR0810","2019LR5475","2019LW6311"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-30","recordCreationDate":"2004-01-12","availableToBook":false}}