We undertook several return visits to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum over the last week. We'd seen plenty of both in previous years, especially 2021 and 2022, and so I didn't take very many pix. There are always a few new things, however, and an old friend or two that warrant a retake...
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| In the Medieval Europe section of the V&A, the Langdale Rosary, some 93 saints plus the other usual Christian deities, c. 1500; gold and inlaid enamel; rosaries were banned in England later that century... |
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| Triptych with scenes from the Apocalypse, Master Bertram, c. 1380, German |
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| St. Sebastian, designed by Hans Holbein the Elder, 1497; gold, silver, precious gems |
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| Creep me out department: reliquary bust said to have contained the head of St. Antigius of Brescius; 1500, gold, silver, the usual; St. Antigius dates from the 9th century, back before the standardization of canonization...what happened to his head is unknown, at least by me |
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| Among the most famous items at the V&A, the Edenhall Goblet, luxury Syrian glass, c. 1350; acquired on a pilgrimage |
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| The Merode Cup, c. 1400; silver, inset enamel; very rare |
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| Girdle, c. 1450; a chastity-within-marriage symbol, it said; gold brocade, silver buckle |
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| The Bear and Boar Hunt, from the Devonshire Tapestries, made in Arras, France, 1430-1450; four extremely fine and large tapestries, long in the Devonvshire family, acquired via the death taxes... |
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| Missal from the Abbey of St.-Denis, 1350 |
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| Moving right along, now in the great hall with the Raphael cartoons for the Sistine Chapel (pictured elsewhere on this blog, probably more than once), me snapping a shot of the Altarpiece of St. George, from Valencia, Spain, late 14th century |
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| Acquired when the church it was in was demolished |
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We also visited the fashion section, especially noting the Taylor Swift outfits, previously posted |
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| Moving even further along, now we are in the British Museum, early British collection, admiring this incredible gold cape, dating from the early Bronze Age, c. 1600-1900BCE, found in Wales, 1833 |
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| Iron age slinkies |
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| The Battersea Shield, found in the river near our flat, La Tene era, pre-Roman Celtic, bronze |
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| Love those Celtic golden torques |
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| The Great Torque, c. 100BCE, said to be one of the most intricate items of gold from the ancient world; more than 2 lbs in weight |
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| Celtic baseball cap; Romans 27, Druids 0... |
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| Love those Cycladic figures (Greek islands, very ancient) |
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| Now, a real treat...the great reading room from the British Library is open...first time in all our post-retirement visits to the BM |
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| Rivals the Jefferson, the Richeliu...where Marx went to stay warm and write Das Kapital |
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| Kim and Vicki, retired librarians |
