A Rare Early 16th Century Carved Oak Lintel Beam Depicting Four Male Heads
A Rare Early 16th Century Carved Oak Lintel Beam Depicting Four Male Heads
A Rare Early 16th Century Carved Oak Lintel Beam Depicting Four Male Heads

A Rare Early 16th Century Carved Oak Lintel Beam Depicting Four Male Heads And A Monkey Head.
16th century beam
£0.00

A Rare Early 16th Century Oak Beam.

A substanial oak beam carved with three protruding figures the central figure depicted with a monkeys head his hands gripping a scroll,flanked by male figures also gripping scrolls and two male faces to each shoulder.

The carving reminds me of miserichords of the late 15th century and the monkey or ape appeared as a symbol of social status. Even when the apes were represented with positive traits, there seems to be an element of mischief or malice in the image. Throughout the Middle Ages, the ape was widely represented at the margins of medieval art, whether in the capital of a church or in illuminated manuscripts.

This example most definately has mischief carved into his face and the faces looking forwrd from left to right have different expressions from smiling to frowning.

It most definately is and was a statement piece,in good solid order with traces of old worm and the facing left hand end has been cut at some stage ,i presume this must have been to remove it from its original structure.

A big lump of oak measuring

87" (221cm) Long

11" (28cm) High

7" (20cm) Deep

A Rare Early 16th Century Carved Oak Lintel Beam Depicting Four Male Heads And A Monkey Head.