The Virign and Child
Polyptych
ca. 1300-1320 (made)
ca. 1300-1320 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This Tabernacle Polyptych or Shrine is made in France (Paris) in about 1300-1320. It shows in the centre a statuette of the Virgin and Child. The Virgin, is crowned by an angel, on whose wings are scenes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Presentation. In the base is a relic of St Chrysogonus, the Early Christian martyr.
Despite the somewhat disfiguring later polychromy, this is one of the grandest tabernacle polyptychs, both in scale and in the quality of its carving. Its decorative ambition, manifested for example in the colonnettes to the sides, indicate that it was made for the elite market.
The term tabernacle polyptych has been used here (ref. Williamson and Davies) to describe an object which consists of a deep central chamber with canopy, usually containing the Virgin and Child, and four hinged wings with narrative scenes, which would distinguish them from the smaller category of simpler polyptychs, which are made up of a series of plaques hinged together but with no central tabernacle.
A feature that links most tabernacle polyptychs together is the method of facture: Although the Virgins in the tabernacles appear from the front to be statuettes they are with few exceptions carved integrally with the back and base panels, which is remarkably skilful.
Despite the somewhat disfiguring later polychromy, this is one of the grandest tabernacle polyptychs, both in scale and in the quality of its carving. Its decorative ambition, manifested for example in the colonnettes to the sides, indicate that it was made for the elite market.
The term tabernacle polyptych has been used here (ref. Williamson and Davies) to describe an object which consists of a deep central chamber with canopy, usually containing the Virgin and Child, and four hinged wings with narrative scenes, which would distinguish them from the smaller category of simpler polyptychs, which are made up of a series of plaques hinged together but with no central tabernacle.
A feature that links most tabernacle polyptychs together is the method of facture: Although the Virgins in the tabernacles appear from the front to be statuettes they are with few exceptions carved integrally with the back and base panels, which is remarkably skilful.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Virign and Child (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Carved elephant ivory painted and gilded |
Brief description | Tabernacle Polyptych, ivory, depicting the Virgin and Child, France (Paris), ca. 1300-1320 |
Physical description | This Polyptych or Shrine shows in the centre a statuette of the Virgin and Child, beneath a canopy supported on slender columns; the Virgin is standing crowned by a wingless angel emerging from the clouds. In her right hand she once held a flower, now lost, and supports the Christ Child with her left arm. He holds an apple in his left hand and blesses with his right. The crocketed wings are carved with figures in high relief representing events of the infancy of Christ. On the wings are scenes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Presentation. The lower scenes are set beneath canopies with crocketed pediments and flanking pinnacles; in the gables are quatrefoils, with the exception of that above the Virgin and Christ-Child, which has a trefoil. Rosettes decorate the upper borders of the wings and central canopy, and the thin strips dividing the upper from the lower scenes on the wings. It is attached at its base to a separate plaque of ivory: this allows the wings - which hang below the central section - to close around the core. This ivory plaque is in turn fixed to an ivory-faced pedestal. This displays a relic of the Early Christina martyr St Chrysogonus. There is polychrome decoration. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | Previously in the Humann collection, Paris (sold 8 February 1858, lot 1). Purchased from the Webb Collection, London, in 1858 (£350). |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This Tabernacle Polyptych or Shrine is made in France (Paris) in about 1300-1320. It shows in the centre a statuette of the Virgin and Child. The Virgin, is crowned by an angel, on whose wings are scenes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Presentation. In the base is a relic of St Chrysogonus, the Early Christian martyr. Despite the somewhat disfiguring later polychromy, this is one of the grandest tabernacle polyptychs, both in scale and in the quality of its carving. Its decorative ambition, manifested for example in the colonnettes to the sides, indicate that it was made for the elite market. The term tabernacle polyptych has been used here (ref. Williamson and Davies) to describe an object which consists of a deep central chamber with canopy, usually containing the Virgin and Child, and four hinged wings with narrative scenes, which would distinguish them from the smaller category of simpler polyptychs, which are made up of a series of plaques hinged together but with no central tabernacle. A feature that links most tabernacle polyptychs together is the method of facture: Although the Virgins in the tabernacles appear from the front to be statuettes they are with few exceptions carved integrally with the back and base panels, which is remarkably skilful. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 4686-1858 |
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Record created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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