The Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt thumbnail 1
The Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

The Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt

Diptych
ca. 1750 - CA. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Quito (made)

This spherical diptych in ivory was made in about 1750-1800 in Quito (Ecuador). It is carved inside with the Nativity and the Flight into Egypt, and the outside is carved in imitation of a shell. In was suggested in 2006 that this piece could be made from 'vegetable ivory (Tagua nut)' but infra-red spectroscopy carried out by Luccia Burgo in Science Conservation confirmed it is indeed animal ivory, probably elephant tusk. The style and form suggests that it was made Quito (Ecuador), in the late eighteenth century. The wide-brimmed hats and polychromy here are particularly striking. It could have been made from a billiard ball.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Christianity
Religion
Object type
Diptych
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Diptych
  • Spherical Diptych (Half Of)
TitleThe Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ivory with silver mounts
Ivory
Silver
Brief description
Spherical diptych, ivory, 'The Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt', Quito (Ecuador), ca. 1750-1800
Physical description
Spherical diptych in ivory, mounted in silver, carved inside in one half with the Nativity and in the other half with the Flight into Egypt, coloured and gilt. The outside carved in imitation of a shell. The figures shown in the 'Flight into Egypt' scene are wearing wide-brimmed hats. On both sides the ivory is polychrome.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 6.5cm
Object history
In was suggested in 2006 that this piece could be made from 'vegetable ivory (Tagua nut)' but infra-red spectroscopy carried out by Luccia Burgo in Science Conservation confirmed it is indeed animal ivory, probably elephant tusk.
Subjects depicted
Shell
Nativity, The
Flight Into Egypt
Summary
This spherical diptych in ivory was made in about 1750-1800 in Quito (Ecuador). It is carved inside with the Nativity and the Flight into Egypt, and the outside is carved in imitation of a shell. In was suggested in 2006 that this piece could be made from 'vegetable ivory (Tagua nut)' but infra-red spectroscopy carried out by Luccia Burgo in Science Conservation confirmed it is indeed animal ivory, probably elephant tusk. The style and form suggests that it was made Quito (Ecuador), in the late eighteenth century. The wide-brimmed hats and polychromy here are particularly striking. It could have been made from a billiard ball.
Bibliographic references
  • Estella Marcos, M. M. La escultura barroca de marfil en España : las escuelas europeas y las coloniales. Madrid, 1984, vol. II, p. 350
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1927-1929, Part II, p. 114
  • Trusted, Marjorie, ‘Propaganda and Luxury. Some Small Scale Baroque Sculptures in Viceregal America and the Philippines’, in: Pierce, D. and Otsuka, R. (eds.), Asia and Spanish America. Trans-Pacific Artistic and Cultural Exchange, Denver, 2009 p. 161, fig. 15
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 pp. 361, 362
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, pp. 361-362, cat. no. 354
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.67-1923

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O310281/the-nativity-and-the-flight-diptych-unknown/
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