Written by Alice McClintock In one of its latest exhibitions, the AGO sheds some light on the beautiful art objects that are Gothic prayer beads, boxwood carving that helped those in the sixteenth century pray through meditation on the imagery contained within each bead. Featuring over sixty prayer beads from various collections and a number of intricately carved miniature altarpieces, the exhibition brings four years of scientific research on these objects to the foreground.
It has proven, in previous years, very difficult to understand the full extent of the skill it took to carve such beautiful objects of worship. Scanning the altarpieces with Micro CT technology reveals details not always noticed by the naked eye, and answers the question of how these pieces were constructed. Similarly, 3D imaging allows visitors to view background imagery in much closer detail. Videos featuring these scans and 3D imaging are placed at strategic points throughout the exhibition, highlighting significant pieces. The exhibition is minimalist; the beauty and intricacies of the prayer beads are on full display. Sometimes a single bead sits in one case with full illumination, pleasing to the eye and drawing attention to the religious purpose of these objects. These devotional objects were used often during travel, and could be packed up for longer journeys. In line with the hands-on, and experiential learning trend in museums, the AGO provides visitors with an opportunity to handle a length of boxwood. I found this to be a nice added touch; it always helps to have an opportunity to touch the materials that are on display. In a similar vein, there is a small display of artist’s tools from the period, along with unfinished work. Through touch and observational learning, I feel that visitors will get a more holistic view of the carving process. Additionally, the exhibition offers a virtual reality experience for visitors on weekends, where visitors can immerse themselves in an individual bead by travelling “through” it. While I did not try it, it seemed like other visitors enjoyed it. What struck me was that boxwood carvings are featured prominently in the AGO’s Thomson Collection of European Art, but for all the times that I had been through the permanent collection, I had only seen a handful of people studying them. Here, in the Small Wonders exhibition, the AGO highlights some of its most astonishing pieces, giving them a place of prominence in the gallery. I felt that marrying six hundred year old objects with cutting-edge technology to be a smart move on the part of the curators. The exhibition offers opportunities for reflection, too. When I learned of the significance of these objects to the people who used them, and the prominence of religion in their daily lives, I thought about our decade’s own devotion to technology, and having portable pieces of it with us (be it smartphone, tablet, or iPod) constantly. I don’t know if the curatorial team intended upon visitors drawing such a parallel, but it was an interesting thing to think about, nevertheless. AGO’s Small Wonders exhibition runs until January 22nd, 2017. There is a full catalogue of objects available online and in the AGO gift shop, and there are a number of talks and performances in the exhibition’s closing weeks. With groundbreaking technology at the fore, and a closer look at some of the AGO’s prized pieces, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures is not to be missed.
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