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The Trinity

Panel
ca. 1320-1330 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

The trinity is shown in traditional fashion with God the Father enthroned holding his son on the Cross, while the dove of the Holy Spirit emerges from his mouth and touches Jesus's head with its beak. Such images of the Trinity were extremely popular in fourteenth-century England. This group has been carved from the outside of the tusk and the figures have a concave back with the exception of God the Father's head which is flat.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Religion
Christianity
Reliefs
Object type
Panel
TitleThe Trinity (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Elephant ivory
Ivory
Carved
Relief
Brief description
Panel relief, ivory, depicting the Trinity, probably French (Paris or Northern France), about 1320-1330
Physical description
Ivory, carved in high relief with the background has been cut away. God the Father, seated on a plain bench-like throne, in a long flowing robe holding before him a Cross with the figure of Christ crucifed. The Dove proceeding from the mouth of the Father touches the head of Christ with its beak. Damaged on the left side, both arms of the Father have been broken away.
Dimensions
  • Height: 16.1cm
  • Width: 8cm
Object history
In the possession of Henry Oppenheimer, London, by 1923; sold Christie's London, 16 July 1936, Oppenheimer sale, lot 180; Given by Mr George Durlacher, London, in 1937.
Subjects depicted
Trinity, Doctrine in Christianity
Dove
Jesus Christ
God
Holy Ghost
Summary
The trinity is shown in traditional fashion with God the Father enthroned holding his son on the Cross, while the dove of the Holy Spirit emerges from his mouth and touches Jesus's head with its beak. Such images of the Trinity were extremely popular in fourteenth-century England. This group has been carved from the outside of the tusk and the figures have a concave back with the exception of God the Father's head which is flat.
Bibliographic references
  • Porter, D.A. Ivory Carving in Later Medieval England 1200-1400. State University of New York at Binghampton, PhD Thesis 1974, cat. no. 39.
  • Annual Review 1937. pp.3-4, pl. 3b.
  • Burlington Fine Arts Club. Catalogue of an Exhibition of Carvings in Ivory. 1923, No. 101, pl. XXIX
  • Koechlin, Les Ivoires Gothiques Francais. 1924, I, p. 142. note 3
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. English Ivories, London, 1926 p. 107
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014 part 1, pp. 120-121
  • Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, part 1, pp. 120-121, cat. no. 36
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.49-1937

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O312923/the-trinity-panel-unknown/
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