The Entry into Jerusalem
Fragment of a Panel
15th century (made)
15th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This alabaster fragment, made in England in the 15th century, is from the lower central area of a panel and shows Christ, bearded and wearing a long gown, riding on a donkey which he guides with his left hand. The remains of the figure of a disciple holding a closed book are visible behind the donkey.
The image portrays Jesus's entry into Jerusalem in the days before the Crucifixion.
There are two sorts of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is very hard and was used in ancient times. This object is made of gypsum alabaster which is a fine-grained, soft and smooth stone. Although at first glance it looks a little like marble, which it was intended to imitate, it was much easier to carve due to its softness, and alabaster objects were therefore significantly cheaper to produce. Marble does not originate in England, so it was imported if needed.
The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
The image portrays Jesus's entry into Jerusalem in the days before the Crucifixion.
There are two sorts of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is very hard and was used in ancient times. This object is made of gypsum alabaster which is a fine-grained, soft and smooth stone. Although at first glance it looks a little like marble, which it was intended to imitate, it was much easier to carve due to its softness, and alabaster objects were therefore significantly cheaper to produce. Marble does not originate in England, so it was imported if needed.
The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Entry into Jerusalem (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Carved alabaster |
Brief description | Panel (fragment), alabaster, depicting the Entry into Jerusalem, English, 15th century |
Physical description | The fragment is from the lower central area of a panel. Christ, bearded and wearing a long gown, faces right, riding on a donkey which he guides with his left hand. The remains of the figure of a disciple holding a closed book are visible behind the donkey. No paint remains on the panel. The back of the panel has been scooped out. There are two holes in the back of the panel. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Credit line | Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA |
Object history | Acquired by Dr W. L. Hildburgh in Paris. On loan from him since 1927. Given by Dr Hildburgh in 1946. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This alabaster fragment, made in England in the 15th century, is from the lower central area of a panel and shows Christ, bearded and wearing a long gown, riding on a donkey which he guides with his left hand. The remains of the figure of a disciple holding a closed book are visible behind the donkey. The image portrays Jesus's entry into Jerusalem in the days before the Crucifixion. There are two sorts of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is very hard and was used in ancient times. This object is made of gypsum alabaster which is a fine-grained, soft and smooth stone. Although at first glance it looks a little like marble, which it was intended to imitate, it was much easier to carve due to its softness, and alabaster objects were therefore significantly cheaper to produce. Marble does not originate in England, so it was imported if needed. The carving of alabaster, mostly quarried in Tutbury and Chellaston near Nottingham, took on industrial proportions in England between the middle of the 14th and the early 16th centuries. The market for altarpieces and smaller devotional images was a large one. It included not only religious foundations but also the merchant classes. Many hundreds of English alabasters were exported, some as far afield as Iceland and Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. |
Bibliographic reference | Cheetham, Francis. English Medieval Alabasters. Oxford: Phaidon-Christie's Limited, 1984. p. 221 (cat. 148), ill. ISBN 0-7148-8014-0 |
Collection | |
Accession number | A.143-1946 |
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Record created | November 22, 2002 |
Record URL |
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