Scenes from teh Passion of Christ thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 8, The William and Eileen Ruddock Gallery

Scenes from teh Passion of Christ

Panel
ca. 980-1000 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The plaque was probably part of a book cover, perhaps a Gospel book, made probably in the Lower Rhine, in the late 10th century. The three scenes are packed with narrative detail. In the upper scene, showing the Crucifixion, the two soldiers can be seen: Longinus with his spear and Stephaton with a bucket and vinegar sponge.
Books which were kept in Carolingian and Ottonian treasuries were highly valued and had their contents glorified through the addition of decorative book covers. These could be adorned with expensive and highly worked materials: precious metals, jewels, semi-precious stones and often ivory. This ivory panel was probably a book cover. It has been punctured with three holes, presumably for attachment. It belongs to a group of ivories, probably from the same workshop, which include a panel in Essen and a casket in the Victoria and Albert Museum (216-1866). The lower part of the scene of the Maries at the sepulchre is almost identical to that on the casket, and that of the Harrowing of Hell is also very similar.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleScenes from teh Passion of Christ (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ivory
Brief description
Panel, ivory, oblong, carved with scenes from The Passion, probably Lower Rheinisch, late 10th century
Physical description
Oblong ivory panel carved with scenes from The Passion in three registers. The top compartment cotains the Crucifixion with, to the left, the Virgin and Longinus; to the right, Saint John and Stephaton; at the very top the arms of the cross are personifications of the Sun and Moon, holding their attributes. In the central compartment are the Maries at the Sepulchre, with two angels seated at the entrance to the tomb and two sleeping soldiers to the right. In the bottom compartment the Harrowing of Hell, the Ascension and, on the right, Christ in Glory. The carving is considerably worn.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22.5cm
  • Width: 9.8cm
  • Depth: 0.6cm
  • Weight: 0.14kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Object history
From the Webb collection (£75), previously in the Essingh Collection, Cologne (sale 1865, no.849).
The plaque was made in the same provincial workshop - probably in teh Lower Rhine area - as a casket in the V&A collection (Inv.no. 216-1866) and a comb in the Domschatzkammer in Essen.
Historical context
Books which were kept in Carolingian and Ottonian treasuries were highly valued and had their contents glorified through the addition of decorative book covers. These could be adorned with expensive and highly worked materials: precious metals, jewels, semi-precious stones and often ivory. This ivory panel was probably a book cover. It has been punctured with three holes, presumably for attachment. It belongs to a group of ivories, probably from the same workshop, which include a panel in Essen and a casket in the Victoria and Albert Museum (216-1866). The lower part of the scene of the Maries at the sepulchre is almost identical to that on the casket, and that of the Harrowing of Hell is also very similar.

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Production
Possibly made in Halberstadt or Quedlinburg
Subjects depicted
Summary
The plaque was probably part of a book cover, perhaps a Gospel book, made probably in the Lower Rhine, in the late 10th century. The three scenes are packed with narrative detail. In the upper scene, showing the Crucifixion, the two soldiers can be seen: Longinus with his spear and Stephaton with a bucket and vinegar sponge.
Books which were kept in Carolingian and Ottonian treasuries were highly valued and had their contents glorified through the addition of decorative book covers. These could be adorned with expensive and highly worked materials: precious metals, jewels, semi-precious stones and often ivory. This ivory panel was probably a book cover. It has been punctured with three holes, presumably for attachment. It belongs to a group of ivories, probably from the same workshop, which include a panel in Essen and a casket in the Victoria and Albert Museum (216-1866). The lower part of the scene of the Maries at the sepulchre is almost identical to that on the casket, and that of the Harrowing of Hell is also very similar.
Bibliographic references
  • Longhurst, M. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. London: Published, under the authority of the Board of Education, 1927-29, p. 74
  • Goldschmidt, A. Die Elfenbeinskulpturen aus der Zeit der karolingischen und sächsischen Kaiser. VIII.-XI. Jahrhundert (Elfenbeinskulpturen II), Berlin, 1918 (reprinted, Berlin, 1970), p. 9, cat. no. 85, pl. XXVIII
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington, Acquired During the Year 1872, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition. London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., p. 1
  • Williamson, Paul. Medieval Ivory Carvings. Early Christian to Romanesque. London, V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2010, pp. 230, 1, cat. no. 57
Collection
Accession number
1-1872

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Record createdDecember 14, 2006
Record URL
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