Panel, ivory, St Joseph's Dream, South Italian, Amalfi or Salerno, late 11th century

Ivory panel depicting Joseph's dream (either ti first or the second). A bearded Joseph lies sleeping on a raised platform, the archangel Gabriel stands over him delivering a blessing with his right hand. A tower has been carved behind Joseph's head.

Acquired through C.D.E. Fortnum at the sale of Alessandro Castellani collection, Rome, 3rd April 1884, lot 583, £32.
The panel show either Joseph's first or second dream, in both of which an angel appeared to him. The first occurred before the Nativity (Matthew, I, 20-23), the second immediately following the visit of the Magi (Matthew, II, 13). It has long been recognized that the panel is closely related to the celebrated cycle of ivory panels in the Museo Diocesano in Salerno, probably made around the time of the consecration of the new Cathedral in 1084. The Salerno ivories are concerned with the New and Old Testaments, and indeed Joseph's first and second dreams are included amongst that ensemble. The present example belongs within a secondary group of twelve reliefs. They are slightly more simplified in form and lack much of the fine detailing of the latter.

This relief has traditionally been associated with ivories of the so called Grado Chair, a group of fourteen more or less stylistically coherent ivories, the serious discussion of which began with an article in Romische Quartalschrift of 1899. In the article Hans Graeven associated the core group of plaques with the ivory cathedral of St Mark, presented to Grado Cathedral by the Emperor Heraclius between 610 and 641. Since the Graeven article, scholarly debate on the age and provenance of the pieces has presented a variety of different possibilities. The present relief was considered to be a typical example of the South Italian romanesque school of ivory carving, close to the Salerno ivories, normally dated to the second half of the eleventh century.

This ivory was subject to radiocarbon analysis in 1995 at the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art at Oxford Universityby Dr Paul Pettitt. The results suggested a date between 780 and 1010 for the death of the elephant with a 95.4% accuracy.

As with the Salerno ivories, it is not possible to suggest a convincing original context for the related panels. There were clearly several large ensembles produced by the workshops in Amalfi or Salerno in the years around 1060-1100 for various items of church furniture, and small triptychs were also made.

Amalfi or Salerno

This ivory panel was carved in southern Italy in Amalfi or Salerno at the end of the 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.

As with the Salerno ivories, it is not possible to suggest a convincing original context for the related panels. There were clearly several large ensembles produced by the workshops in Amalfi or Salerno in the years around 1060-1100 for various items of church furniture, and small triptychs were also made.

701-1884