Guest Clive Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 A note on medieval microfabrication: the visualization of a prayer nut by synchrotron-based computer X-ray tomography P. Reischig, J. Blaas, C. Botha, A. Bravin, L. Porra, C. Nemoz, A. Wallert and J. Dik Abstract: One of the most fascinating objects in the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) is an early 16th century prayer nut. This spherical wooden object measures 4 cm in diameter and consists of two hemispheres connected with a small hinge so that it can be opened. The interior of the nut holds wood carvings with scenes from the life of Christ. These miniature reliefs show an incredible degree of finish with carving details well beyond the millimetre scale. In the present paper it is shown how synchrotron-based computer X-ray tomography revealed the structure and fabrication method of the bead. The central part of the relief was cut from a single piece of wood, rather than assembled from multiple components, underlining the extraordinary manual dexterity of its maker. In addition, a piece of fibrous material contained in the inner structure of the bead is revealed. This may have served as a carrier for an odorous compound, which would be in line with the religious function of the prayer nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ko Baas Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 I think this is the one. Ko Baas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Thats the one Ko.. great you got a pic, wonderful craftsmenship.. I've long been facinated by introducing some sort of scent element into some of my pieces.. I've done it a few times... the slighest wif of wet earth on a carving of a mushroon and a honey smell on a piece about bees and honeycomb.. I'd like to know more about how perfumes are created then I can really have some fun... and then my carvings will really stink.. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil White Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Thanks, Clive, Very interesting indeed! There is a similar, perhaps slightly more ornate, piece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, here: Rosary bead Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Very little is know about these extraordinary carvers of Brabant.. even less their technique. Every now and then I get a snippet of info, a tiny piece of a puzzle but all that does is fuel my cursiosity even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fkvesic Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 "I'd like to know more about how perfumes are created" Probably the best scents for wood are the essential oils, of which there are dozens, ranging from the tree scents - juniper, cedar, sandalwood, tea tree - through the herb scents - sage, thyme, rosemary - to the flower scents - rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, etc. Add in the citrus scents and grasses, too. Alcohol-based perfumes would probably dry out wood too much. Also, alcohol perfumes are difficult to work with; scents are transient unless you fix them with something disgusting-smelling like civet or deer musk. How to mix them? You have to develop what parfumiers call a "nose" for the right blend of ingredients, with deep, medium and light notes. Deep, underlying notes, which linger longest, can be created with something like a mixture of lavender and cypress; medium notes could be of the bergamot, rose, vetiver variety; light notes, which are the first to vanish, might be the citrus ones, orange blossom, lily of the valley, etc. The more earthy tones are likely to reside in the deep notes. The skill is to blend them into a complex that's reasonable to most people, while remembering that everyone smells a perfume differently. It takes years to develop the art, but is worth having a bash. Another trick with netsuke, I'd assume, is to perfume the box you sell it in; the wood would pick up the perfume. It's often the reason why sandalwood boxes were carved to hold small objets d'art. I'd be loathe to try out the oils on bone or ivory in case they discoloured the surface, or ate into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Clive, here's another from the Met, and one from the Cleveland Museum of Art (Ohio) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Many thanks Freda for the smellies info and Doug for the pics, I hadn't seen those examples before. Marvaloso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil White Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I could stare at these all day. Thanks, Doug! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 That precisely how I feel Phil.. they are mesmerizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Clive- Have you seen a copy of the study you cite? If not, I'm sure I could get hold of one and send it to you. I've seen one or two more of these rosaries in books...I'll double check and if they differ from those posted, I'll try and get some scans up. I think I'd have fun for hours just opening and closing those objects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Thanks Doug looking forward to studying that. I have taken the liberty of reproducing one of the pics here so everybody can see just how astonishing thes works are. Sorry Janel if the picture is large.. but I think in this instance its worth it... scroll across to get the full pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil White Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Fantastic, This is an amazing image. You can see the details of fabrication, and the tool marks left by the small gouges and chisels on the figures and in the recessed areas. I expected to see more evidence of scraping. Fantastic! Thanks, Clive! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Thank you Clive, I was secretly wishing that someone would provide a larger image ! (I happen to be at a WiFi with high speed connection, so today it is not such a problem.) Has there been any revelation about the tools that were used by the carvers in those days? Is there an outside part and an inside part created separately? Is there any evidence of the pieces being turned on a lathe to create the beginning shape? Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Janel- I've got the full text of the article- it's 3 pages. I don't know if I can post it on the forum (copyright issues?), but I can email you a copy. Also, I found a book yesterday with three more prayer beads depicted. I'll try to get scans up shortly. There is clear evidence that the hemispheres were turned first. The interior (figurative) portions are separate pieces, pegged to the outer shell. The top arch of the upper scene is also a separate piece. Finally, some of the pikes and crosses will sculpted separately and inserted into drilled holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Yeah Phil and Janel.. its not me you should thank but Doug.. He did all the work.. I just posted it.. and Doug.. I'm sorry, I didn't think about copywrite issues, so keen I was to share the pics. Do you think that the pics OK to stay or should we remove it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Hi Doug, thank you. Yes, I would like to see the article, thanks for the offer. Your descriptions answer some questions that I had, too. I wonder if the arch at the top being separate has to do with the hinge or latch construction. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 What the heck- here's the text.A_note_on_medieval_microfabrication.doc From the Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, Vol 16, March 09 p.310-313 Enjoy! Janel, as the authors surmise, the separate arch at the top of the scene may have been so carving tools and the tiny drill bit could gain access for undercutting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Here are some scans as well as a Word document of the text accompanying them. It's all from the publication "Medieval Ivories and Works of Art / The Thompson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario", Cherry, J. and Lowden, J., 2008 The text was scanned and then run through a OCR system to convert it to a workable format, so there might be a few typos. Looks like this collection is in your neck of the woods, Phil. carvingtext.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 and the wooden ones: I've got higher resolution scans of all of these if someone wants me to send a big file privately. -Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil White Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Again, Doug, a huge Thank You! I remember this collection coming to Canada, now. It was well publicized, particularly because a couple of pieces were stolen and subsequently recovered. I'll have to drop by next time I'm in Toronto, but since that's a 5 hr drive on a good day, I just ordered the book. The King Tut exhibit is returning to Toronto, so maybe I'll try to make a special trip and take them both in. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyllyn Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 There's at least 4 or so at the V&A on display, just saying in case it hasn't come to your attention. I have photos somewhere but they are from my pre-macro lens days so not likely to offer anything meaningful and anyway I'm planning to go back there and re-photograph them and Joachim Henne's ivory sculpture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Yes the ones at the V+A are awesome. It would be nice to get some pictures of them.. they are of a slightly different design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Looks like the V & A has photos of two- http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O128519 http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O58632 This scavenger hunt is becoming addictive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyllyn Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Looks like the V & A has photos of two-http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O128519 http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O58632 This scavenger hunt is becoming addictive There are if I remember correctly 3 more on display, one of which is the scene of the crucifiction, there's also in the same room a couple of large boxwood decorative objects carved to ressemble architectonic structures which also bear several panels and inserts of scenes like these but this room is one of the dimmest in the whole V&A and they don't allow tripods. Once I'm back from my honeymoon I promise to stop by the museum (only 30 mins away walking) and have a go with my new compact macro lens Does anyone here know where else to find work by Joachim Henne? (apart from the V&A that is and it doesn't matter if it is across the pond) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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