Pastoral staff
Pastoral Staff
ca. 1350-1370 (made)
ca. 1350-1370 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is an ivory and bone crozier, with the Lamb of God, a so-called Agnus Dei crozier, made in Venice in about 1350-1370.
Together with the mitre and the pectoral cross, the pastoral staff or crosier is part of the insignia of a bishop and some abbots. Carried as a symbol od authority during Mass and religious processions, it looks like a sheperd's crook as a reminder of the bishop's role in looking after his 'flock'.
The name crozier is commonly used for the crook-shaped pastoral staff of a bishop or abbot. It forms part of their insignia.
It was carried as a symbol of authority and pastoral care. It was made of various materials, but by the twelfth century ivory was in widespread use for the head of the crozier. The shaft was often made of wood, occasionally embellished with metal knops, although on Italian Gothic examples, ivory and bone cylinders were used in construction. French Gothic ivory crozier heads are predominantly of one design, with the Crucifixion and the Virgin and St John on one side and the Virgin and Child, flanked by candle-bearing angels, on the other. It appears that the principal face was that to be seen when the volute of the crozier was facing to the right.
Together with the mitre and the pectoral cross, the pastoral staff or crosier is part of the insignia of a bishop and some abbots. Carried as a symbol od authority during Mass and religious processions, it looks like a sheperd's crook as a reminder of the bishop's role in looking after his 'flock'.
The name crozier is commonly used for the crook-shaped pastoral staff of a bishop or abbot. It forms part of their insignia.
It was carried as a symbol of authority and pastoral care. It was made of various materials, but by the twelfth century ivory was in widespread use for the head of the crozier. The shaft was often made of wood, occasionally embellished with metal knops, although on Italian Gothic examples, ivory and bone cylinders were used in construction. French Gothic ivory crozier heads are predominantly of one design, with the Crucifixion and the Virgin and St John on one side and the Virgin and Child, flanked by candle-bearing angels, on the other. It appears that the principal face was that to be seen when the volute of the crozier was facing to the right.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 5 parts.
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| Title | Pastoral staff (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Elevant ivory for the volute and knob; bone for the shaft, both painted and gilded. |
| Brief description | Crozier, ivory and bone, with the Lamb of God, Italy (Venice), ca. 1350-1370 |
| Physical description | The volute, which issues from the mouth of a dragon, is decorated on the outside with ten crockets of leafy form, the uppermost enclosing a pine cone; it encloses the Agnus Dei and a bird perched upon the cross the bottom of which appears the body of the Lamb. On the knob are carved the symbols of the Evangelists. The shaft and volute are enriched with dragons and interlaced foliage designs in gold and colour. The volute and knob in ivory, the shaft in bone. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Formerly in the Hollingworth Magniac collection, Colworth, Bedfordshire, by 1862. Sold at the Magnaic sale Christie's, London, 1892, lot. 505, £90. Collection of Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael; Bought from the Gibson-Carmichael collection, Christie's, London, 1902, lot 151, for £126. Historical significance: The painted and gilded decoration is characteristic of a group of pastoral staves which are assigned to Italy. |
| Historical context | Croziers were carried as a symbol of authority during Mass and religious processions. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This is an ivory and bone crozier, with the Lamb of God, a so-called Agnus Dei crozier, made in Venice in about 1350-1370. Together with the mitre and the pectoral cross, the pastoral staff or crosier is part of the insignia of a bishop and some abbots. Carried as a symbol od authority during Mass and religious processions, it looks like a sheperd's crook as a reminder of the bishop's role in looking after his 'flock'. The name crozier is commonly used for the crook-shaped pastoral staff of a bishop or abbot. It forms part of their insignia. It was carried as a symbol of authority and pastoral care. It was made of various materials, but by the twelfth century ivory was in widespread use for the head of the crozier. The shaft was often made of wood, occasionally embellished with metal knops, although on Italian Gothic examples, ivory and bone cylinders were used in construction. French Gothic ivory crozier heads are predominantly of one design, with the Crucifixion and the Virgin and St John on one side and the Virgin and Child, flanked by candle-bearing angels, on the other. It appears that the principal face was that to be seen when the volute of the crozier was facing to the right. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 604:5-1902 |
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| Record created | February 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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