Tuesday 15 May 2012

More from The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

Young child, silver
 I went back to the Pitt Rivers Museum to have another look at the amulets collections. I wanted to expand my initial ideas for the metal pieces. I like the way that these pieces are in relief with the flat space surrounding them. I will experiment with the metal to see if I can get a similar effect.

Box of silver body parts, used as votives if the person has an ailment with that particular part of their body

View through one of the cabinets

 I am also interested in the way in which the collections have been displayed. The cabinets are often cluttered and full of notes, labels and fascinating facts about the objects. Some objects are in small display boxes, others in specimen bags and others simply labelled.

cow, silver
 This cow reminds me of a silver butter dish which I have, the lid of which has a cow very similar to this.

Case displaying labelled metal amulets and votives

Eye votive

Figures of a boy and girl, clay
 I particularly liked these clay figures, mainly for their simplicity and naivety. Also this illustrates the fact that something simple and almost insignificant can become an object of meaning/superstition/power because of the presence and meaning which someone has put upon it.


Clay and plaster moulds and casts
 It was interesting to see the casts again, especially after experimenting for so long myself with this technique. I like that the moulds have been displayed alongside the casts.

Mould for the goat

Various casts from clay, wax and wood

Wax goat with mould

Body part votives used as offerings for medical conditions

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