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Source Description
At the center of this bowl stands a female figure identified as SUPER[BI]A (pride). Represented along the curvature are four more bust-length figures: [I]DOLATRIA (idolatry), INVIDIA (envy), IRA (anger), and LUXURIA (self-indulgence). Bowls of this type were likely produced in medieval Germany and widely traded throughout northern Europe. Because of the moralistic symbolism employed in their iconographic programs, it has been suggested that such bowls were used in monasteries for hand washing during penitential activities. More recently, it has been suggested that they served as teaching aids for rhetorical instruction in medieval classrooms.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
153764
label
Bowl with Engraved Figures of Vices
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
153764
contentType
object
title
Bowl with Engraved Figures of Vices
description
At the center of this bowl stands a female figure identified as SUPER[BI]A (pride). Represented along the curvature are four more bust-length figures: [I]DOLATRIA (idolatry), INVIDIA (envy), IRA (anger), and LUXURIA (self-indulgence). Bowls of this type were likely produced in medieval Germany and widely traded throughout northern Europe. Because of the moralistic symbolism employed in their iconographic programs, it has been suggested that such bowls were used in monasteries for hand washing during penitential activities. More recently, it has been suggested that they served as teaching aids for rhetorical instruction in medieval classrooms.
date
1150–1200
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60740178
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 6.1 x 29 cm (2 3/8 x 11 7/16 in.)
cul
Germany, Gothic period, 12th century
accession
1987.61
Source extras
tec
bronze: spun, hammered, chased, and punched
tombstone
Bowl with Engraved Figures of Vices, 1150–1200. Germany, Gothic period, 12th century. Bronze: spun, hammered, chased, and punched; overall: 6.1 x 29 cm (2 3/8 x 11 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1987.61
collection
MED - Gothic
inscriptions
inscription
at the center of the bowl is a standing female figure with engraved identification: "SVPERBIA" (Pride); along the inner curvature are four bust-length figures with engraved names: "IDOLATRIA" (Idolatry), "INVIDIA" (Envy), "IRA" (Anger); and "LVXVRIA" (Self-Indulgence).
citations
citation
Gertsman, Elina and Barbara H. Rosenwein. <em>The Middle Ages in 50 Objects</em>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 72-75; Reproduced: p. 73
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:57:03.631000
sourceId
153764
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Gothic
med
bronze: spun, hammered, chased, and punched
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
ba8c62279a760183