The Crucifixion
Panel
ca. 1360-1380 (made)
ca. 1360-1380 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This ivory panel representing the Crucifixion was made in the 14th century France. It is a plaque from a set of writing tablets.
Ivory covers for writing tablets survive in good numbers from the fourteenth century. Wax writing tablets or panels of a hard material filled with layers of wax that could be inscribed with a stylus, were common in Antiquity and continued in use throughout the early Middle Ages. They were particularly useful for note taking, given their portability and the fact that their surfaces could be erased and reused.
The majority of such tablets would have been made of wood, although other materials such as gold, silver, bone and ivory were also used. In most cases the tablets formed part of a group of up to eight panels, only the covers of which were carved with imagery on their outer faces. The imagery on most surviving tablets and boxes derives primarily from diptychs, with a quality of carving lower than that commonly found on diptychs, at least partly as a result of the thinner ivory material on the tablets.
Ivory covers for writing tablets survive in good numbers from the fourteenth century. Wax writing tablets or panels of a hard material filled with layers of wax that could be inscribed with a stylus, were common in Antiquity and continued in use throughout the early Middle Ages. They were particularly useful for note taking, given their portability and the fact that their surfaces could be erased and reused.
The majority of such tablets would have been made of wood, although other materials such as gold, silver, bone and ivory were also used. In most cases the tablets formed part of a group of up to eight panels, only the covers of which were carved with imagery on their outer faces. The imagery on most surviving tablets and boxes derives primarily from diptychs, with a quality of carving lower than that commonly found on diptychs, at least partly as a result of the thinner ivory material on the tablets.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Crucifixion (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Elephant ivory |
Brief description | Plaque, ivory, from a set of writing tablets, the Crucifixion, Mosan or Rhenish, ca. 1360-1380 |
Physical description | Ivory panel representing the Crucifixion. It is shown beneath an arcade formed of three trefoil arches with tall crocketed gables above, decorated with trefoils and with two further trefoils between the gables. To the left of the Cross the Virgin is shown fainting, supported at the waist from behind by one of the holy women. The Virgin's body is twisted, and her right leg thrust forward. To the right of the cross are St John the Evangelist and the two Jews, one holding a scroll. There are considerable traces of colour remaining. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | Previously in the Hearn collection, Menton; it was probalby acquired after the death of Alfred Williams Hearn (1842-1903) by his widow Ellen Hearn. Given by Mrs Hearn in 1923. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This ivory panel representing the Crucifixion was made in the 14th century France. It is a plaque from a set of writing tablets. Ivory covers for writing tablets survive in good numbers from the fourteenth century. Wax writing tablets or panels of a hard material filled with layers of wax that could be inscribed with a stylus, were common in Antiquity and continued in use throughout the early Middle Ages. They were particularly useful for note taking, given their portability and the fact that their surfaces could be erased and reused. The majority of such tablets would have been made of wood, although other materials such as gold, silver, bone and ivory were also used. In most cases the tablets formed part of a group of up to eight panels, only the covers of which were carved with imagery on their outer faces. The imagery on most surviving tablets and boxes derives primarily from diptychs, with a quality of carving lower than that commonly found on diptychs, at least partly as a result of the thinner ivory material on the tablets. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | CIRC.495-1923 |
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Record created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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