Coffer with print of "The Annunciation", c. 1490–1500
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 2016.14
Not on Viewexpand_more
In its day, this leather-covered coffer had straps and was carried as a shoulder bag or traveling case. Once open, it sheds light on an important use of early prints: a fifteenth-century hand-colored woodcut of the Annunciation is pasted inside the cover of the large compartment, transforming this wooden box into a portable altar. There is a second shallow “secret” compartment in the lid, which might have been used to store traveling papers, valuables, or even relics or a consecrated host. Just over a hundred such boxes survive, all dating between 1480 and 1510, all French, and all likely produced in Paris.
The Master of the Very Small Hours of Anne of Brittany ran a flourishing workshop in Paris, producing tapestry designs, stained glass, illuminations, and woodcuts.
Details
- Title
- Coffer with print of "The Annunciation"
- Artist Life
- active 1490–1508
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2016.14
- Provenance
- Private collection, Burgundy, France (c. 1815-2015; sold to Les Enluminares); (Les Enluminares, Paris, New York, Chicago, 2015-16); sold to MIA, 2016.
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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