Crying angel (detail) from The Crucifixion Triptych by Rogier van der Weyden, c. 1445.
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19th Century Sacred Heart holy card
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Spice box, 1794-97, Nuremberg, Germany.
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"For though this appeare a proper pulpet peece, yet whan the fox preacheth, then beware your geese."
This proverb, one of many from the Collection by John Heywood (1497-1580), is descriptive of the common imagery seen in many examples of Medieval art: a fox, dressed as a monk, is preaching to a flock of oblivious geese.
On this spoon, which dates back to 1430 and presents an example of South Netherlandish Gothic art, a similar scene is depicted: a fox, disguised as a monk, is carrying three dead geese on its back - in its hand, there's a scroll or another document with the word "pax", peace. The second fox is seizing the geese as they are being distracted by the fox priest.
Pieces such as this one were often created during the Medieval Times to mock the hypocrisy of the church and the clergy, which preached to the masses they prey on.
This specific object might have been made for Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy and a great patron of arts.
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