"Graine De Dizain, Têtes De Mort Et De Christ, France, XVIIe Siècle"
Janus rosary bead
Ivory
French workshop, second half of the 17th century
Missing the lower jaw of the skull, latemount, very nice patina of use
Terminal bead of a janus bead representing the face of dead Christwith the crown of thorns leaning against the anterior part of a human skull.
These beads are made to be contemplated by the penitent during his prayer.The head of Christ is close to the Christian representations of the french painters Vouet, Blanchard, Champaigne or Morin, in France in the second quarter of the seventeenth century: Christ wears a crown of thorns and long curly hair framing his bearded face,It is backed by the inert skull of death, a reminder for the believer that death will come for each one of us: «memento mori». This bead is also for the prayer a symbolic reminder of Incarnation of the Christ who conquered death. This beautiful ivory sculpture was probably the terminal bead of a dizain.The lower part of the jaw of the skull is broken and clearly shows signs of regular use.An identical bead, in quality, was sold by the Finch & Co gallery in London.
Réf. : Laue, Georg: «Memento mori», Munich, Kunstkammer Georg Laue, 2002 ; Malgouyres, Philippe : «Ivoires de la Renaissance et des temps modernes, La collection du Musée du Louvre», Louvre éditions, 2010; Tapié,: «Vanité - Mort que me veux-tu?» cat. expo. Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, 2010; Finch & Co: Catalogue n°25.