Four of Leaves
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1546-1550
This object is a German-suited playing card representing the Four of Leaves. It features a central vertical stem with scrolled flourishes at the bottom and four heart-shaped leaf suit symbols branching out near the top, arranged symmetrically in pairs. The composition is bounded by a rectangular border line on a light paper support.
The card is produced as a woodcut with hand-applied wash colour, particularly visible as green within the foliage. It was made in the style of Clas Oth, probably in Nuremberg, and dates to the period between 1546 and 1550. The piece measures 7.3 cm in height and 4.8 cm in width.
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
Playing cards were among the earliest woodcut prints, with initial references dating to around 1430. These cards use traditional German suits comprising hearts, bells, acorns, and leaves, resembling cards made by Clas Oth, a specialist card maker based in Nuremberg. To maintain speed and reduce costs, card makers typically printed an entire deck on a single sheet of paper and applied colours by hand using shaped stencils.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Woodcut coloured by hand
- Dimensions
- Height: 7.3 cm; Width: 4.8 cm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Oth, Clas
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Four of Leaves
- Museum object number
- E.992-1920
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.