I was recently in London and decided to pop in to the Courtauld gallery exhibition ‘Court and Craft’.
What is the focus of the exhibition?
The star of the show is a metal bag which was made in northern Iraq around 1300. It’s made of brass, with inlaid gold and silver, and would originally have had a shoulder strap.
It is an absolutely stunning piece of medieval craftsmanship. The geometric background is thought to have been inspired by Chinese textiles, whilst the roundels show intricate hunting and court scenes.
What else is there to see?
This is a beautifully curated exhibition. It places the bag in context and we are able to see similar bags in drawings produced at the time.
This drawing in ink on paper, produced in Iran in the fourteenth century, shows a noblewoman with two attendants. One of the attendants is wearing the noblewoman’s bag, the long strap crossing his chest.
There is also a display of other inlaid metalwork, equally astonishing in its intricacy and beauty.
Spherical incense burner, probably Mosul, early fifteenth century. Photo: The Art Fund.
All in all – well worth a visit. The exhibition runs until 18th May. You can see there curator speaking about it on the Courtauld’s website.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks