19th Century French Carved Deer Antler Memento Mori Vanitas Skull Bust of Sun King Louis XIV
Late 19th century French carved deer antler bone Memento Mori Vanitas skull bust sculpture of Sun King Louis XIV, with a detachable face.
The detachable face has a small dot of putty so it can fix on to the head or can be displayed on the base as shown.
Intricately carved deer antler (not Ivory) miniature bust, set on an ebony wood base with brass top.
An impressive & striking visual display piece for a cabinet of curiosities.
A vanitas is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. The skull was the symbol of death from the 1500s onwards; previously death was represented as a skeleton. Skulls were very popular in the Baroque period and were not only an essential part of any Wonderland Room (Wunderkammer), but also acted as contemplative reminders of mortality.
Total Height: 15 cm / W: 6 cm / D: 6 cm.
Provenance: From a private collection in France.
Louis XIV (1638 – 1715), also known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (le Roi Soleil), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715.
Late 19th century French carved deer antler bone Memento Mori Vanitas skull bust sculpture of Sun King Louis XIV, with a detachable face.
The detachable face has a small dot of putty so it can fix on to the head or can be displayed on the base as shown.
Intricately carved deer antler (not Ivory) miniature bust, set on an ebony wood base with brass top.
An impressive & striking visual display piece for a cabinet of curiosities.
A vanitas is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. The skull was the symbol of death from the 1500s onwards; previously death was represented as a skeleton. Skulls were very popular in the Baroque period and were not only an essential part of any Wonderland Room (Wunderkammer), but also acted as contemplative reminders of mortality.
Total Height: 15 cm / W: 6 cm / D: 6 cm.
Provenance: From a private collection in France.
Louis XIV (1638 – 1715), also known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (le Roi Soleil), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715.
Late 19th century French carved deer antler bone Memento Mori Vanitas skull bust sculpture of Sun King Louis XIV, with a detachable face.
The detachable face has a small dot of putty so it can fix on to the head or can be displayed on the base as shown.
Intricately carved deer antler (not Ivory) miniature bust, set on an ebony wood base with brass top.
An impressive & striking visual display piece for a cabinet of curiosities.
A vanitas is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. The skull was the symbol of death from the 1500s onwards; previously death was represented as a skeleton. Skulls were very popular in the Baroque period and were not only an essential part of any Wonderland Room (Wunderkammer), but also acted as contemplative reminders of mortality.
Total Height: 15 cm / W: 6 cm / D: 6 cm.
Provenance: From a private collection in France.
Louis XIV (1638 – 1715), also known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (le Roi Soleil), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715.
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