Portrait miniature of Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) by Hans Holbein, set in a probably late 16th century turned ivory box, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
(inv.no.P.153:1, 2-1910)
This beautifully turned ivory box closely relates to another Later Ivories, Holly Trusted suggests that Holbein’s portrait
which contains Hans Holbein’s famous miniature portrait of may have been trimmed to fit within its box, which likely
Anne of Cleves in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London post-dates the portrait.Trusted contends that ivory turning
(inv.no.P.153:1, 2-1910).The two receptacles belong to techniques were unknown in England in the 16th century
a small group of fifteen known rose turned ivory boxes and that the Anne of Cleves box was probably made by a
made in England or perhaps Germany (for export) probably German turner in England or in continental Europe.This was
in the second half of the 16th century.The development the period in which princely collections of ivories were being
of the Rose Engine lathe or Kunstdrehen is thought to formed, notably in Dresden and Munich.Trusted describes
have been developed in Southern Germany in the 16th the Anne of Cleves box as ‘British or perhaps German’,
century, and appears to have corresponded with wider dates it to circa 1580-1600, and concludes that the box
technological developments in weaponry, printing, turning ‘probably dates from the late sixteenth century, and as such
and engineering principally in the cities of Augsburg and is one of the earliest and most important post-medieval
Nuremberg (Ferguson and Davies, op.cit.).ivories in the collection’ (op.cit., pp. 144-145, no. 121).
The present box and the Anne of Cleves example are Ferguson and Davies suggest that the intaglio with Venus
arguably the finest in existence.According to Ferguson at the forge of Vulcan (lot 1) and the vellum manuscript
and Davies, such boxes appear to have been created as describing Parker’s gift (lot 2) were contained in the
receptacles for portrait miniatures.Fitted with lids, they present box.Although the manuscript is now thought to
both protected the precious images within, whilst keeping commemorate Archbishop Parker’s gift of a salt cellar
their deeply personal contents secret to prying eyes.Initially set to Elizabeth I 7 September 1573, Ferguson and Davies
such boxes were plainly decorated before being superseded hypothesis that the manuscript was contained within the
by more elaborate examples with rosette decoration which, present box is plausible.As has been outlined above, such
according to Ferguson and Davies, was ‘a form according boxes were made or appropriated for the purpose of holding
with the prevailing cult of symbolism, combining the Royalist miniatures, deeply private and valued images.The present
emblem and the flower of Venus, goddess of love and box, which is the correct shape and size for the manuscript,
beauty’ (op.cit.p. 135).
Ferguson and Davies note that the present ‘Parker Box’
shows ‘a remarkable resemblance to the Anne of Cleeves
[sic] work, allied to a sophisticated basket-work box side’ The present box is a particularly well preserved and beautifully
(op.cit.p. 140).In her catalogue of the V&A’s Baroque & executed example of its type.
would probably therefore have been seen as an appropriate
receptacle for a manuscript detailing a personal gift from
Archbishop to monarch.
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