French, Utrecht
Frieze, early 16th century
Carved and painted wood, 184.2 x 31.4 cm (72 1/2 x 12 3/8 in.)
This horizontal and narrow French frieze is carved from wood and then painted. Two men, possibly heralds, one on each end of the frieze are dressed in blusón gold shirts and striped tights and hold the ends of a long, unfurled banner against an olive-green background. The banner is white on the front and gold on the few back sections visible with a white coat of arms with red figures in the center. On each side of coat of arms a phrase is written in large gold letters, only some being visible. A raised gold border outlines the sides and top of the Frieze and the lateral sides of the center coat of arms. Outside the gold border the frieze is framed on the top with a rounded, olive green strip of wood and then a dark red, flat wood molding. Part or all of the bottom and side frames seen to be missing. The bottom of the frieze has a flat olive green strip of wood below which the wood is mostly unfinished, perhaps previously also having had a strip of red molding as seen on the top. The sides terminate in unfinished wood.
Long Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.