Metropolitan Museum of Art Online Collection: Crib of the Infant Jesus

I came across this image from the Met this morning and was intrigued by the craft skills that had to be employed here. I suspect that this is the work of at least two or three people (wood, metal and fiber artists) but of course, I could be wrong. I don't know much about devotional objects, let alone much of anything about the period this piece was made in, so I looked up what the Met says about it. Unfortunately, their website did not yield an answer to my question, but the information is interesting nevertheless and quoted below together with a link for more in-depth reading about this period. If anyone has information that could answer the "whodunnit" question, I'd appreciate a post in the comments. Thank you!

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website:

Crib of the Infant Jesus

Date: 15th century
Geography: Made in Brabant, South Netherlands
Culture: South Netherlandish
Medium: Wood, polychromy, lead, silver-gilt, painted parchment, silk embroidery with seed pearls, gold thread, translucent enamels
Dimensions: 13 15/16 x 11 3/8 x 7 1/4 in. (35.4 x 28.9 x 18.4 cm) Other (pillow): 4 1/4 x 6 3/4 x 1 3/4 in. (10.8 x 17.1 x 4.4 cm) Bedcover: 6 7/8 × 6 1/2 × 1/8 in. (17.4 × 16.5 × 0.3 cm) Other (Cavity under thre crib): 2 1/16 × 1 1/8 × 1/4 in. (5.2 × 2.8 × 0.7 cm)
Classification: Woodwork
Credit Line: Gift of Ruth Blumka, in memory of Leopold Blumka, 1974
Accession Number: 1974.121a–d

Miniature cradles for the Christ Child were popular devotional objects in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and were venerated, especially in convents, where they were often presented to women taking their vows. This splendid cradle comes from the Grand Béguinage of Louvain, Belgium, established for lay women in the twelfth century. It is decorated with carved representations of the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi on either end. The biblical family tree of Christ is illustrated on the embroidered coverlet.

  • Provenance

    From the Grand Béguinange of Louvain, Belgium; Jules Frésart, Liège (1882); Dr. Albert Figdor, Vienna (before 1893–until d. 1927); [his posthumous sale, Paul Cassirerat Hotel Esplanade, Berlin (Sept. 29-30, 1930, no. 161)]; Oscar Bondy, Vienna (confiscated by Nazi officials in 1938); restituted to his widow, Elizabeth Bondy, New York (by 1950); Ruth and Leopold Blumka, New York (until 1974)

Additional reading:

The greater part of this period is marked by economic prosperity, the growth of cities, and prodigious artistic innovation in the Low Countries. The dukes of Burgundy, who rule there until 1477, are great patrons of the arts; foremost among them is Philip the Good (r. 1419–67), who around 1420 moves his court from Dijon to Lille and then Bruges. Up to this time, metalwork, illuminated manuscripts, and tapestries dominate as the most highly prized art forms, but the early fifteenth century witnesses the emergence of a new art form that is quickly recognized as one of the most remarkable achievements of the period: panel painting.

If the art historian in you is interested, continue reading on the Met website....

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