Emma Carlow: Viper Ceramic Whistle

This ceramic Viper Whistle has been exclusively created by renowned artist Emma Carlow for YSP Shops, to coincide with the exhibition One to Give. One to Take Away, by Jordy Kerwick.

This series of whistles is inspired by The Bestiaire d’amour by Richard de Fournival. Richard de Fournival was a thirteenth century French writer, best known for his Bestiaire d'amour - Richard's Bestiaire is not a traditional bestiary. Instead of using animal characteristics to illustrate a moral or allegorical teaching, Richard used bestiary themes and animals to plead his case to an unnamed lady who he claims to love, but who does not love him in return.

Viper:
The viper flees from a naked man but attacks a clothed man. When Richard first met the lady he was "naked" of love so he dared to speak his heart, but when she knew he was "clothed" with love for her she attacked him with words. The female viper conceives by taking the male's head in her mouth and biting it off, killing him; when the young are born they burst out of the mother's side, killing her; thus vipers come into the world having killed both of their parents. Some men cannot obtain the worth they speak of without noising abroad the women who help them be worthy. 

- Materials: ceramic
- Size of approx. H40 x L80 x D50mm