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Woodcarving

Small Wonders
at The Cloisters in New York

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It is an extraordinary exhibit! It’s still on for another few weeks. If you go, take a magnifying glass (or use your phone camera’s zoom feature) to see the details. These carvings are TINY! Most of them are in the neighborhood of 2 inches in diameter.

As best as anyone knows, these objects are about 500 years old and appear to have been created in the Netherlands. At least that is where most of them have been found, passed from generation to generation in the families of patrons and collectors. Precisely who made them and precisely where, no one knows.

One of the conservators, Peter Dandrige believes that the vast majority of them came from one carver, or from that carver’s workshop. David Esterley isn’t quite convinced of that. He’s seen other instances of many people taking up a popular genre and working with it until the market waned. In either case, it’s thought that the creation of these miniatures was done only for about one generation.

Peter Dandrige and David Esterly gave a talk at the exhibit on Sunday, April 30. Peter is one of the conservators who examined these carvings with all manner of imaging techniques, such as “micro CT.” David Esterly, as many of us know is a renown, current day, carver. Both offered a great amount of speculation about these miniatures. Peter talked of discovering how the carvings are made of layers, as shown in the video. David talked of wood carving techniques, brought along a block of boxwood to show how dense and tight grained it is, and even had a “layer” of his own that he had begun carving in the style of these 500 year old carvings. David said he used his smallest tools and still ended up with a result 30-50% too large.

Much of the speculation, of course, was about the making of these miniatures. Peter believes that the holes found in many layers were more than for assembly, but also for work holding while carving. David suggests otherwise, that mere pins would not have been enough to take the pressure of working. He speculates that the carver(s?) used tabs extending beyond the edge of each scene as pads for clamping.

Since they are so small, the best way to see them in close detail is to use either of two resources:

  • The exhibition’s catalogs (there are two) have many very high quality photos, along with a number of essays. My choice among the two is the one published by “AGO Research” the people who did the actual research.
  • An online site “The Boxwood Project,” has an extensive collection of high resolution photos and a zoom tool  that lets one magnify these carvings to the point of being able to see tool marks.

For carvers, there’s an excellent essay, “The Making of Gothic Boxwood Miniatures” at the Boxwood Project site. That essay offers more photos of the layering technique and a photo of some tools used by yet another artist, 150 years later, to create similar miniature carvings.

Lastly, here is a borrowed screen capture at about 75% zoom from one of the images at The Boxwood Project site. (click for a larger view)

screen capture - Adoration of the Magi miniature boxwood carving

 

Grinling Gibbons – Wait, There’s More – at Modena

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photo of the full Modena panel
photo: Jake Backus

THANK YOU, Jake Backus!

In the article about the last stop of our London Gibbons tour, I asked if anyone had more photos of Gibbons’ works. Jake Backus wrote that he visited the Gallerie Estensi museum in Modena, Italy late last year and offered these wonderful photos.

“The Modena panel laments the triumph of death, in particular the death of kings and princes.”
— David Esterly

The panel, created around 1685, is a “momento mori” to Charles II. Charles’ brother, James II, followed him to the throne, and either James, or his wife Mary, commissioned the work. There are differing accounts of who the gift was given to in Modena. Esterly and Beard write that the panel was a gift to Mary’s father, Alfonso IV, the Duke of Modena.

The panel measures 49 inches by 69 inches, 125 cm by 175 cm.

A museum card near the panel today says that the gift was to Francesco II, or “from the collection of Francesco II.”  Both may be correct, as Francesco II is the son of Alfonso IV.

The Modena piece of carving by Grinling Gibbons.

Carved lime wood on an oak panel.

From the Collection of Francesco II d’Este.

The subject of this ‘tour de force’ of carving, gift of James II Stuart of England and Maria Beatrice d’Este Stuart to Duke Francesco II d’Este, is a death memorial relating to Charles II Stuart of England (1685). Its author, the greatest specialist of this kind of work in the Baroque era, illustrates the theme of the transience of life by describing vegetable elements in minute detail – there are twenty-seven recognizable botanical varieties – game, shells, allegoric elements, as well as a piano score by Edward Coleman, with a poetic text from a drama by James Shirley. In the central medallion there is a self portrait of Gibbons himself.

closeup photo of the central detail from the Modena panel - skull, instruments, crown and medallion
photo: Jake Backus

The central theme about the death of royalty is embodied in the musical score near the center of the panel. It represents the lyrics of a 17th funeral dirge by James Shirley, from his stage play “The Contention of Ajax and Ulysses.” 

THE GLORIES of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

The chained skull and tumbled crown are tributes to death, as are the collection of coins above and to the left of the skull. Those coins represent other kings and princes claimed by the icy hand of death.

photo of the full Modena panel
photo: Jake Backus

It is remarkable that of a woodcarving survives for over 300 years. It is not surprising that this one shows signs of wear and aging. If one looks closely, there are notable ghost areas on the background, where parts have disappeared. Esterly speculates that at one time the panel might also have included other objects such as a sceptre, scythe or spade (from the lyrics), perhaps in the open space above the skull. There’s also breakage on parts that extend most forward. For example, there are remnants of a chain across the musical score. What else might have been hanging from that chain? Maybe another portrait medallion?

closeup photo of Gibbons' signature medallion
photo: Jake Backus

Thanks Jake, for a closeup of Gibbon’s portrait medallion. Jake says it appears to be about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, quite a nice piece of detail carving. With the inscription, “GIBBONS INVENTOR ET SCULPIST,” Gibbons assures us he played both the role of designer and of sculptor.

By this stage of Gibbons’ career, he was hearing criticism that he was only a simple carver. In order to clear the air of these ideas, Gibbons included a banner in the Cosimo panel proclaiming himself as the “inventor” and prominently included this Modena portrait medallion where he again asserts his design and execution roles.

closeup photo of an open pea pod near a plum
photo: Jake Backus

One of the legends about Gibbons concerns pea pods in his carvings. The legend is that if the pea pod is open, Gibbons was commissioned and paid for the work. If closed, he was not paid. At the far right edge of the panel, Jake found for us an open pea pod.

Thanks again, Jake, for bringing us more details of Gibbons’ work. Jake apologizes for what he considers poor quality due to glass reflections. Instead, I applaud his efforts to bring us striking details despite having to contend with glass, less than optimal lighting and ghost reflections of museum visitors. Well done, and I certainly appreciate them!

We can also thank Jake’s cousin who lives near Modena and made a special trip to the museum to gather the information on the museum card and to double check their photo policy.

BTW, Jake lives way down in the southwest corner of the UK, between Truro and Falmouth “looking out to sea” as he says.

 

Books you might like about Grinling Gibbons and his work.

"Grinling Gibbons and the Art of Carving" by David Esterly

A history of Gibbons' woodcarving work through the eyes of an expert carver. David Esterly has become today's leading authority on Gibbons, and carves in ways similar to Gibbons. His book takes us on a very thorough tour of Gibbons' work and how it evolved through Gibbons' lifetime.

"The Lost Carving: A Journey to the Heart of Making" by David Esterly

At its base, this is the story of restoring the Gibbons' carvings that were damaged by a fire at the Hampton Court Royal Palace in 1986. Yet, it is very much more; full of history, analysis, discovery of woodcarving techniques and the art of making art.

"Grinling Gibbons & the English Woodcarving Tradition" by Frederick Oughton

A study of English woodcarvers that uses Gibbons as the center of focus.

"The Work of Grinling Gibbons" by Geoffrey Beard

The description says, "This magnificently illustrated book..." A review says, "Disappointed in the number of photos of his fabulous woodcarving.... But, it does show what an incredible talent he possessed!!"

"Grinling Gibbons: his work as carver and statuary 1648-1721" by David Green

I found little description of this book, but see it in the "Select Bibliography" of one of Esterly's books.

A few Videos and Audios

[Video] BBC Program: "The Glorious Grinling Gibbons - Carved with Love" - in four parts. (about an hour)

[Video] "Grinling Gibbons' carvings at Hampton Court Palace" - a short video featuring Royal Court warder Konrad Jordann talking about "a few of my favourite things." (2 minutes 41 seconds)

[Audio] NPR All Things Considered - "Re-Creating The 'Lost Carving' Of An English Genius" - an interview with David Esterly (7 minutes 5 seconds audio at upper left)


About the photos...

Most of the pictures in this series of articles are mine. Any picture with my photo credit is available for your use, as you please.

Pictures that specifically credit other sources, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral, or particular artists are published here with their permission and that permission stipulates they may not be copied for commercial use. I appreciate their permission and ask that you honor the agreement I have with them. Thanks.


All articles in the Grinling Gibbons series...

This Eagle Walks

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photo of eagle head walking caneHistory claims that mankind started in the nearly tropical Garden of Eden. Later, some men moved northward and ended up in places where there is sometimes ice upon the ground. {Why?} One man recently made an unplanned maneuver on the ice and ended up with spiral fractures in both the lower bones of one leg. That will be a long time mending. He’s still not allowed to put any weight on that leg, but at some point will be able to set aside the knee scooter and crutches in favor of a simple walking cane. Maybe this one will help.

The cane is made from American Walnut. The head and the shaft both came from the same 7/8″ thick piece of lumber. The shaft is 1-7/8″ at the top tapering to 7/8″ at the bottom.

The primary concern for any walking cane is that it be safe enough to support a person without failing. The shaft on this one is easily strong enough for most adults. My biggest concern when making it was to ensure that the handle is so well affixed as to not come loose.  It is of tenon and mortise construction, but not a complete through tenon. I didn’t want a tenon sticking through the top of the eagle’s head.

photo of fox wedged tenon about to enter the mortiseThrough tenons are often tightened considerably using wedges. I tightened this tenon with “fox wedging.” No, I don’t know what a fox has to do with it, but that’s what it is called.

Wedges are inserted into slots in the tenon and driven home as the tenon enters the mortise. It’s a self-completing joint that had better be right when it is put together. I’ve never made one of these, but spent a lot of time ensuring enough room inside the mortise for expansion, but not so much as to make the wedging ineffective. (What is half of the wiggle room and how thick do those wedges need to be? Have I tapered the 3″ deep mortise enough? What is “plan B” if this thing gets stuck half way in? What’s “plan C” if it’s too loose, yet to tight to extract and refit?)

It worked on the first try.

The finish is several coats of “Tru-Oil gun stock finish.” That’s a very durable oil / varnish combination that brings out the natural walnut coloring. A coat of furniture wax and a rubber tip complete the cane.

I hope the recipient likes the Art-Deco style.