The Assumption of the Virgin
Medallion
1400-1410 (made)
1400-1410 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is an ivory roundel relief with the Assumption of the Virgin, made in France (Paris) in about 1400-1410.
There has been general scholarly consensus in recent years that this group - and the larger total ensemble of over fifty related ivories carved in the same style, often painted - were produced in the Parisian artistic milieu of the manuscript workshops serving Jean de France, the Duc de Berry and other members of the French royal court in the first two decades of the fifteenth century.
The original context of the present V&A roundel cannot be reconstructed with certainty as the reliefs of this type were used in a variety of settings. It is possible that it formed the left leaf of a diptych pendant of unusual circular shape, with the Death of the Virgin on the right.
Ivory was used all over Europe for religious works of art. It was often combined with precious metals and usually took the form of relief panels, for book covers, portable altars and caskets. An almost unbroken tradition of ivory carving extends from the Roman and Byzantine empires until the end of the 14th century. From about 1250, Paris became the centre of production for figures and reliefs intended for private devotion.
There has been general scholarly consensus in recent years that this group - and the larger total ensemble of over fifty related ivories carved in the same style, often painted - were produced in the Parisian artistic milieu of the manuscript workshops serving Jean de France, the Duc de Berry and other members of the French royal court in the first two decades of the fifteenth century.
The original context of the present V&A roundel cannot be reconstructed with certainty as the reliefs of this type were used in a variety of settings. It is possible that it formed the left leaf of a diptych pendant of unusual circular shape, with the Death of the Virgin on the right.
Ivory was used all over Europe for religious works of art. It was often combined with precious metals and usually took the form of relief panels, for book covers, portable altars and caskets. An almost unbroken tradition of ivory carving extends from the Roman and Byzantine empires until the end of the 14th century. From about 1250, Paris became the centre of production for figures and reliefs intended for private devotion.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Assumption of the Virgin (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Elephant ivory, pierced and painted and gilded |
| Brief description | Roundel relief, ivory, partially pierced, coloured and gilded, France (Paris), ca. 1400-1410 |
| Physical description | Circular ivory plaque, partially pierced, colored and gilded. In the centre the Virgin, her hands crossed in front of her chest, being lifted towards Heaven, by four angels and with a further angel below; below, to each side of a pierced area of foliate tendrils, are grouped the twelve Apostles; at the front are St Peter (with keys) on the left and St Paul (with sword) on the right. The roundel is vividly painted, with ultramarine blue, vermilion, verdigris (for the green), lead tin yellow and lead white; and the gold is either gold paint or gold dust. The disc is extremely thin, and the back is plain. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased in 1855 (for £24). According to Longhurst, the roundel was acquired 'from the Farrer Collection': this is not confirmed in the Museum records, but is almost certainly that of Henry Farrer, FSA (1798-1866), one of the most eminent London dealers of the mid-nineteenth century. |
| Production | Previously considered to be made in Cologne |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is an ivory roundel relief with the Assumption of the Virgin, made in France (Paris) in about 1400-1410. There has been general scholarly consensus in recent years that this group - and the larger total ensemble of over fifty related ivories carved in the same style, often painted - were produced in the Parisian artistic milieu of the manuscript workshops serving Jean de France, the Duc de Berry and other members of the French royal court in the first two decades of the fifteenth century. The original context of the present V&A roundel cannot be reconstructed with certainty as the reliefs of this type were used in a variety of settings. It is possible that it formed the left leaf of a diptych pendant of unusual circular shape, with the Death of the Virgin on the right. Ivory was used all over Europe for religious works of art. It was often combined with precious metals and usually took the form of relief panels, for book covers, portable altars and caskets. An almost unbroken tradition of ivory carving extends from the Roman and Byzantine empires until the end of the 14th century. From about 1250, Paris became the centre of production for figures and reliefs intended for private devotion. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1607-1855 |
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| Record created | December 15, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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