Day 180 - Rock crystal bird worth 275 cows

August 23, 2019

At my last visit to the museum, I went to scout out the seating arrangements in the next galleries, to see whether I needed to bring my new portable cane-seat. (I do.)  I discovered that galleries 509-519 are closed for renovation, while gallery 520 is decorated with large photos of various objects that are presumably on exhibit in the closed galleries. It's not worth writing about photographs - I'll wait to see the real thing. So today's gallery is gallery 521.

It's a gallery that many people walk through, because it's on the direct - perhaps only - route to the cafeteria. But not that many people stop to look at what's in the gallery itself, and that's a shame. To me, this is one of the most extraordinary, worthwhile displays I've seen at the Met.

The exhibit concerns the relative value of different objects found in Northern Europe and mostly made in the 16th century. Determining relative value is a challenge because at the time, there were two parallel monetary bases - gold and silver -- as well as a multitude of regional currencies. Accordingly, the objects are assessed at the price of a commonly valued commodity - a cow! As the sign informs us, "For most households, a milking cow was considered a great asset, and the cost to purchase one remained relatively stable across Europe."

It 's fascinating to see how the prices of different objects stack up against each other. These prices reflected a multitude of factors: the raw material, the workmanship involved, an individual artist's reputation, the technological advance the object represented, its provenance, and so on. A couple of jugs -- one earthenware, one stoneware - were valued at 1/12 and 1/4 of a cow respectively, while a gilded brass table clock was valued at 59 cows.  An earthenware bottle used for a drinking game (it has three spouts, and the object is to choose the spout that will get the drinker splashed the least) was worth 1/7 of a cow, while a Gujarati game board made of ebony, other woods, ivory, bone, horn, and gold wire cost the equivalent of 12 cows. I knew that tapestries were often valued more than paintings, but I was surprised that a painting of the Virgin and child by a follower of Quentin Metsys was valued at only 5 cows, while a tapestry depicting Saint Veronica holding up a veil with the image of Christ was worth more than 10 times that amount.

One thing that becomes very clear is how little in the way of beautifully crafted objects ordinary people possessed. The exhibit shows a couple of pilgrim's badges worth 1/12 cow; the accompanying sign says that these were probably the only "art objects" that most people could afford.  But of course, the badges' owners had to have the leisure and resources to make pilgrimage in the first place.

Today's object is my favorite: a rock crystal bird, about 8 inches high, made in Nuremberg around 1580.  It is also the most expensive - valued at 275 cows! The object's high price reflects the value attached to rock crystal - it was as costly as gold! The mineral was much prized because of its luminousness and transparency, and because its hardness allowed it to be carved or drilled without shattering.  This bird's ruby eyes, along with the gilded silver used to form its legs and collar as well as the mount on which it is perched, undoubtedly enhanced its value. I love the bird's clarity and graceful lines. So, apparently, did J.P. Morgan, who donated it to the Met.