Lid

Lead alloy lid from a small vessel or box. It is decorated with a scene from a bath house: a bearded man sits with a woman (her face is damaged) in a circular bath tub. There is a canopy above and around the tub and standing to the right of the scene is a male attendant in a pointed hat and pointed shoes. His outfit suggests he is a jester or minstrel. Similar scenes are depicted in other medieval art forms from the 15th century, including illuminated manuscripts, which show men and women bathing together in canopied tubs while eating and being entertained by musicians. Medieval bath houses had a reputation for lewd behaviour and prostitution. There is also an almost identical but more complete lid from a collections in The Netherlands. The hinge attachment on the Museum of London's lid would have been at the narrow end but it is missing.