Leaf of a Writing Tablet

French

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 307

The four panels of this delicate plaque feature young lovers engaged in courtship. A young man appears at left in each composition, while the young maiden appears on the right. The other side, which has a shallow, wax-filled compartment, could be inscribed with a stylus to leave short notes. After reading it, the recipient could wipe the wax clean and reply with a new message. This was especially useful for private correspondence between lovers.

Leaf of a Writing Tablet, Elephant ivory, French

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