Current Location: Gallery 32 (Rothschild)
Titles
Virgin
Maker(s)
Unknown
Entities
Categories
Description
Bronze, formerly decorated with champlevé enamel; the figure is in relief. Only the head, tilted to the right, is repoussé; the rest is engraved on the surface, including the hands and the drapery. Almost all trace of the enamel work has been lost. It possibly comes from a Crucifixion group on a reliquary chest.
Notes
History note: Found in digging a grave in Attleborough Churchyard, Norfolk in or before 1864; T. Muskett, Attleborough by whom presented on 27 September 1864 to J. Warren; Samuel Richards, Nottingham; from whom purchased for 70/- (£3 10s.). on 6 June 1898 by Henry Thomas Wake (1831-1914), dealer in books and antiquities, Fritchley, Derbyshire; his Monthly Catalogue, no. 289, 7th month (July), 1898, p. 5, no. 78, illustrated by line drawing; purchased from him for £4.10s. on 11 July 1898 by the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Legal notes
Bought
Measurements and weight
Height: 5½ in
Width: 1¼ in
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Bought
(1898-07)
by
Wake, H. T.
Dating
12th Century, Early
Medieval
Circa
1100
CE
-
1130
CE
Note
This mourning Virgin Mary was not an independent sculpture, but was probably applied to a reliquary casket decorated with champlevé enamel, and may have been associated with a a figure of St John, standing on either side of a Crucifix.
School or Style
Romanesque
People, subjects and objects depicted
Project
Components of the work
Decoration
composed of
enamel
( almost all gone)
Figure
Depth 1.4 cm
Height 13.9 cm
Width 3.1 cm
Materials used in production
Bronze
Techniques used in production
Casting (process)
: Bronze, cast, formerly decorated with champlevé enamel; the figure is in relief, with engraved decoration
Inscription or legends present
- Text: Found in digging grave, Attleboro' Churchyard, Norfolk.
- Location: Once attached
- Type: Label
- Text: Presented to me Septr. 27th 1864 by Mr. T. Muskett, Attleborough. [signed] J. WARREN.
- Type: Label
Inscription present: Pale buff card rectangular label
- Text: M./1/1898./Purchased from H.T. Wake, Fritchley, Derby/July 1898 for £4.10.0/underlined/Copy of old label: - /Presented to me Septr. 27th 1864 by Mr. J. Muskett, Attleborough. J. Warren./ And on another old label attached: - Found in digging grave Attleboro Churchyard, Norfolk. On the other side: Figure of the Virgin (?) underlined/in bronze, formerly enamelled/perhaps from the back of a crucifix./XIIth Century: English (?)/Found at Attleborough,/Norfolk.
- Method of creation: Hand written in black ink
- Type: Label
References and bibliographic entries
Identification numbers
Accession number: M.1-1898
Primary reference Number: 13550
External ID: CAM_CCF_M_1_1898
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 29 July 2025
Last processed: Tuesday 29 July 2025
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
