Rufus Gennadius Probus Orestes
Diptych
530 (made)
530 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Consular ivory diptychs were produced to mark the appointment of consuls (the highest civil and military magistrates). They consisted of two hinged panels with carved exterior surfaces, typically depicting the consul holding his sceptre, with flanking officials and an inscription.
The outside bears carved decorations while the wax field on the inside was for inscribed messages. These were sent by newly appointed consuls to friends and members of the senate to announce their accession to the year-long position.
Despite the problem with the dating of the diptych, it visually conveys perfectly the two strands of argument: Faith and Power. The two figures of the consul stand for the old order in Rome and Constantinopel with its power while the cross above him and the portraits of Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodorich and her son Athalaric represent the Ostrogothic regents of the Western empire and their faith.
With the abolition of the Consulate in 541 by the Emperor Justinian (527-65), the production of conuslar diptychs ceased and the main centres of ivory production in Rome and Constantinople declined, although some fine early Byzantine ivories continued to be produced in Constantinople.
The outside bears carved decorations while the wax field on the inside was for inscribed messages. These were sent by newly appointed consuls to friends and members of the senate to announce their accession to the year-long position.
Despite the problem with the dating of the diptych, it visually conveys perfectly the two strands of argument: Faith and Power. The two figures of the consul stand for the old order in Rome and Constantinopel with its power while the cross above him and the portraits of Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodorich and her son Athalaric represent the Ostrogothic regents of the Western empire and their faith.
With the abolition of the Consulate in 541 by the Emperor Justinian (527-65), the production of conuslar diptychs ceased and the main centres of ivory production in Rome and Constantinople declined, although some fine early Byzantine ivories continued to be produced in Constantinople.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved ivory |
| Brief description | Consular diptych, carved elephant ivory, of Rufus Gennadius Probus Orestes, Rome, Italy, 530 |
| Physical description | Consular Diptych of Rufius Gennadius Probus Orestes, one of the Western consuls in 530. The consul is represented on both leaves seated on a curule seat, holding in one hand the mappa circensis (with which he gave the signal for the games to begin), in the other a sceptre. A female figure, a personification of Constantinople with a disk and staff flanks the consul to his right; to his left stands a female personification of Rome holding the fasces. Clipeate portraits of Amalasuntha and her son Athalaric whom the consul served are above the inscription, flanking the cross. Below the consul two children empty sacks of money. At the top of each leaf are busts of an Emperor and Empress; below, two figures empty sacks of money. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'RVF(II) GENN(ADII) PROB(I) ORESTIS / V(IRI) C(LARISSIMI) INL(USTRIS) CONS(UL) ORD(INARIUS)' (above the consul's head, on labels) |
| Object history | From the Webb collection. Formerly in the the Museum Septalianum and in the Trivulzio collection in Milan, then in the Soltykoff collection until 1861 (sale 1861, No. 381). |
| Historical context | Consular diptychs are formed by two panels hinged together. The outside bears carved decorations while the wax field on the inside was for inscribed messages. These were sent by newly appointed consuls to friends and members of the senate to announce their accession to the year-long position Despite the problem with the dating of the diptych, it visually conveys perfectly the two strands of argument: Faith and Power. The two figures of the consul stand for the old order in Rome and Constantinopel with its power while the cross above him and the portraits of Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodorich and her son Athalaric represent the Ostrogothic regents of the Western empire and their faith. Volbach assigns the diptych to Ravenna, pointing to the busts of Amalasuntha and Athalaric and stating that Orestes was resident in Ravenna. Also, the diptych copies that of Clementinus (513) from Constantinople (now in Liverpool). Nancy Netzer suggests that the present diptych was made in Constantinople at the time of Clementinus and that it was re-cut in certain areas in about 530. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Places depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Consular ivory diptychs were produced to mark the appointment of consuls (the highest civil and military magistrates). They consisted of two hinged panels with carved exterior surfaces, typically depicting the consul holding his sceptre, with flanking officials and an inscription. The outside bears carved decorations while the wax field on the inside was for inscribed messages. These were sent by newly appointed consuls to friends and members of the senate to announce their accession to the year-long position. Despite the problem with the dating of the diptych, it visually conveys perfectly the two strands of argument: Faith and Power. The two figures of the consul stand for the old order in Rome and Constantinopel with its power while the cross above him and the portraits of Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodorich and her son Athalaric represent the Ostrogothic regents of the Western empire and their faith. With the abolition of the Consulate in 541 by the Emperor Justinian (527-65), the production of conuslar diptychs ceased and the main centres of ivory production in Rome and Constantinople declined, although some fine early Byzantine ivories continued to be produced in Constantinople. |
| Associated object | REPRO.1858-76 (Copy) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 139-1866 |
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| Record created | November 7, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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