Playing card, Durand, F, France, early 16th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 16th century
Playing card, Durand, F, France, early 16th century is an object recorded by Victoria and Albert Museum, dated early 16th century. The museum's brief description reads: Uncut sheet of playing cards, containing eight subjects, four Kings and four Queens bearing titles of legendary and historical personages; Woodcut print, coloured by hand, on laid paper; By F. Durand; France; Early 16th century.. Museum description: Uncut sheet of playing cards coloured by hand. With eight cards with four queens and four kings. On the top row are the queen of clubs(?), the king of diamonds, the queen of diamonds, a king (no suit sign). On the lower row are a king (no suit sign), the queen of hearts, the king of hearts and the queen of clubs(?). The museum record gives material recorded as printing ink, laid paper; measurements Height 19.7 cm; Width 27.5 cm; place associated: France; maker recorded: Durand, F. These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
An early use of the woodcut technique was for making playing cards. The oldest surviving examples date to about 1420. This sheet is thought to have been made by an artist called F. Durand in Rouen or Lyon in the first half of the 16th century. Woodcuts allowed multiple copies of an image to be printed relatively cheaply and quickly. This sheet shows how cards were printed for speed and economy, many to a sheet and cut into individual cards afterwards. Printed playing cards were sometimes coloured by hand. To speed things up stencils might be used, as in this case. The neat, shaped blocks of colour sometimes do not match up with the area meant to take the colour indicating that the colour was applied through a stencil rather than painted on freehand. This colouring is of a high quality, suggesting that this pack was intended for a well-off client. The names on these cards include legendary and historical figures, including Bethsabée and Pallas among the queens and some of the Nine Worthies among the kings. The Nine Worthies were trios of pagan, Jewish and Christian heroes introduced by Jacques de Longuyon in his romance Voeux de Paon of 1312. They were seen as exemplars of chivalry and knightly prowess and aristocratic rulers sometimes associated themselves symbolically with one or other of them. The Worthies included here among the kings are David, shown with his harp, and Charlemagne, with his globe symbolising his status as the first Holy Roman Emperor. Although playing…
Physical characteristics
- Material
- printing ink, laid paper
- Dimensions
- Height 19.7 cm; Width 27.5 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- woodcut print coloured by hand, on laid paper
- Maker recorded
- Durand, F
- Place recorded
- France
Design
- Inscriptions recorded
- rne; Charlemaigne; Bersabee; vive le roy; palas; david; la grants baslive; F
Identification
- Museum attribution
- Durand, F
- Museum object name
- Playing card
- Museum object number
- E.1256-1916
- Museum system number
- O211485
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm materials, dimensions, maker and wider type against the museum record and a specialist reference.