id:			137119
accession number:	1961.87
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1961.87
updated:		2023-03-24 11:13:13.857000

Prayer Nut with Scenes from the Life of St. James the Greater, c. 1500–1530. Adam Dircksz (Netherlandish, active c. 1500), and Workshop. Boxwood; overall: 5.8 x 4.8 cm (2 5/16 x 1 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1961.87

title:				Prayer Nut with Scenes from the Life of St. James the Greater
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			c. 1500–1530
creation date earliest:		1500
creation date latest:		1530
current location:		112 Northern Renaissance
creditline:			Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
copyright:			

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culture:	Northern Netherlands (Holland)
technique:	boxwood
department:	Medieval Art
collection:	MED - Gothic
type:		Sculpture
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

* Adam Dircksz (Netherlandish, active c. 1500)  - artist

* Workshop 

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measurements: Overall: 5.8 x 4.8 cm (2 5/16 x 1 7/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

	inscription:	Interior around lower half: SANCTVS SACRILEGI STAT IVDICIS ANTE TRIBVNAL (Holiness stands before the throne of the profane judge)
	translation:	
	remark:		

	inscription:	Interior, around upper half: GAVDENS PRO CRISTO IACOBVS SVBDIT CAPVT ENSI (St James submits his head to the sword)
	translation:	
	remark:		

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Year in Review (1961)
	opening date:   1961-11-01T05:00:00
	<i>Year in Review (1961)</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 1-26, 1961).

	title:		Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures
	opening date:   2016-11-05T04:00:00
	<i>Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures</i>. Art Gallery of Ontario, Ontario M5T 1G4, Canada (organizer) (November 5, 2016-January 22, 2017); The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY (February 15-May 15, 2017).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

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fun fact:
This miniature masterpiece was held and caressed within the palm of the holder as they prayed and meditated on their faith. What do you use to focus or engage in quiet concentration?

digital description:


wall description:
Prayer nuts or "paternosters" are generally made from boxwood and carved with extreme refinement and delicacy with openwork Gothic tracery. They came into fashion as private devotional accessories in the Netherlands in about 1500 to 1530. About 50 prayer nuts are still known to survive.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Scholten, Frits, ed., <em>Small Wonders: Late-Gothic Boxwood Micro-Carvings from the Low Countries. </em>Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum Publications Department,<em> 2016.</em>
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. [29] fig. 16; pp. [230-231], cat. 34; Mentioned: p 28, 617, 636
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.87/1961.87_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.87/1961.87_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1961.87/1961.87_full.tif