Christ at the Column Spain, 19th century Elephant ivory 22.8 x 7 x 3cm This sculpture was identified as a deliberately aged fake during the conservation of the ivories in the Barber’s collection in 2012. It may have been copied from 13th-century statues called ‘ivory corpora’ (sculptures of the crucified Christ). The suffering of Christ … Read more
Mirror back carved with a Tournament Scene Paris (?), 19th century imitation of the French 14th-century style Elephant ivory 8.4 cm diameter including four pierced lions on the rim This is a 19th-century imitation of a mirror back carved in the French 14th-century style. It is closely based on genuine examples. The availability of ivory … Read more
Wing of a Diptych with Saint John the Baptist and other Figures Paris, 14th century Elephant ivory with traces of gilding and colour 7.8 x 5.4cm There are traces of hinges on the left hand side of this carving, suggesting that the piece was originally part of a diptych (an object made up of two … Read more
Casket with Scenes of Chivalry and Love Paris (?), early 14th century Elephant ivory; brass brackets, straps and handles (later additions) 9.5 x 23.2 x 13.6cm This is one of nine such caskets (or coffrets) known to have survived complete, most others are in prestigious museum collections around the world, including the British Museum, London, … Read more
Spanning borders, periods and cultural perspectives, this display of prints and drawings explores the concept of topography: how a place is defined by a description of its significant physical features – be they geographical, natural or man-made. It features images from the Barber collection by artists as diverse as Fra Bartolommeo, Wenceslaus Hollar, Piranesi, JMW … Read more
The Barber has a small shop situated at reception stocked with unique, high-quality cards, books, accessories and gifts. Our year-round range includes collection-based postcards, books, souvenirs – everything from Miss Clara fridge-magnets to our fabulous Monet umbrella. We also sell exhibition catalogues alongside a selection of other art books. Whatever you go for, you can … Read more