Right half of a Diptych: Crucifixion of Christ
Artist/Culture
French
Datemid 1300s
Mediumcarved ivory relief
Dimensions10.5 x 7.3 cm (4 1/8 x 2 7/8 in.)
ClassificationsIvories
MarkingsBears number "11371" on back, with "French 14th c" in pencil.
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Terms
Object number1919.230
Label TextIn the fourteenth century, when the social chaos caused by plagues and war disrupted the coordinated efforts needed to build great monuments, French artists found a new outlet for their skills in the production of small personal treasures. In this transition many new designs, like the border at the top of this ivory, were adapted from large-scale architectural elements and reduced to the proportions of smaller objects.
This plaque forms one wing of a two-part folding altarpiece and shows Mary and John mourning the crucified Christ. Their grief is expressed by the exaggerated curve of their bodies and the pathetic gestures of their hands. The Christ figure is a replacement in the style of the fourteenth century.ProvenancePhilip J. Gentner, FlorenceOn View
On view
