ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gothic boxwood miniature

Okay kiddo, have you ever seen those really small and intricate carvings that people make out of wood? Well, a Gothic boxwood miniature is a type of carving that's made out of a very special kind of wood called boxwood.

Boxwood is a type of tree that grows in Europe and it's really hard and dense – almost like really tough chocolate. Because it's so hard, it's perfect for carving really tiny things, like little chess pieces or tiny figures.

So, the Gothic boxwood miniature is a carving that's made out of this special boxwood tree. But what makes it Gothic is its design. You see, Gothic is a style of art that was popular in Europe a really long time ago. It was all about making things look really detailed and ornate.

So, people who made Gothic boxwood miniatures would carve these tiny little scenes and figures into the wood. Some of them were so small that they could fit in the palm of your hand! And they would use special tools to add even more detail, like tiny dots and lines.

These carvings were so detailed and intricate that people would use them as religious objects, like little rosaries or prayer beads. And they were really expensive too, because they took so much time and skill to make!

So, to sum it up, Gothic boxwood miniatures are tiny carvings made out of a really hard type of wood called boxwood. They're really detailed and ornate, with lots of little scenes and figures carved into them. They were used as religious objects and were really expensive because they took so much time and skill to make!