Panel, ivory, Presentation in Temple, South Italy, Amalfi or Salerno, late 11th century

Ivory panel depicting the Presentation in the Temple in low relief. Mary passes Christ to a temple elder over a low altar.
On the left, St Joseph, holding two doves, stands behind the Virgin, who presents the Christ Child to the aged Simeon. On the right is the prophetess Anna, raising her right hand in acclamation and looking upwards to thank God. In the centre is a small altar bearing a cross.

Purchased from Webb, £40. Written in ink on the back in an 19th century hand is 'della Chiesa di Legnano'. Legnano (Lombardy) is 30 km northwest of Milan, and if this provenance is to be believed would seem only to indicate a post-medieval history.

Historical significance: In style the present plaque belongs with a small group of reliefs of slightly lesser quality than the other 'post-Salerno group' ivories (see also Inv. no. 701-1884), being particularly close to the Adoration of the Magi now in Frederikssund and the Baptism of Christ from the Thyseen-Bornemisza collection. From its iconography the plaque follows the form of the Presentation in the Temple scene in the Salerno ivories ensemble, with some changes, of which the most striking one is the lack of haloes on the London plaque, a feature it shares with the Thyseen-Bornemisza panel. The latter has two recesses in the lower border of identical form like the present plaque, suggesting that they belonged to the same ensemble.

Salerno or Amalfi

This ivory panel was carved in southern Italy in Amalfi or Salerno in the late 11th century. It is closely related in style to the so-called ‘Salerno Ivories’, a large group of plaques made for an item of church furniture in Salerno Cathedral, probably at the time of the church’s consecration in 1084. The ivories show close links with Byzantine works of art, which were imported to this area in the second half of the 11th century.

238-1867