Christ in Glory
Panel
10th century (made)
10th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
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. This was originally probably from a book cover.
The form of the Christ in Majesty surrounded by the four evangelist symbols derives from prototypes such as the mid-ninth-century Tours Majestas pages, found in the Vivian Bible and other related manuscripts.
The form of the Christ in Majesty surrounded by the four evangelist symbols derives from prototypes such as the mid-ninth-century Tours Majestas pages, found in the Vivian Bible and other related manuscripts.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Elephant ivory |
| Brief description | Panel, ivory, Christ in Majesty, Rhine or Meuse Valley, probably 10th century |
| Physical description | Ivory panel. A youthful, beardless Christ is shown with cruciform nimbus and is seated in glory within an aureole composed of two overlapping circles bordered with acanthus leaves; a book in His left hand, His right hand raised in benediction; a cruciform nimbus encircling His head. Above are the angel St. Matthew with a book and the eagle of St. John holding a scroll in its claws; below, the lion of St. Mark and the ox of St. Luke, each with a book. The whole is enclosed in a border of acanthus leaves. The panel has been pierced with holes at the four corners, probably for attachment to a book-cover. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Alfred Williams Hearn Gift |
| Object history | Historical significance: The form of the Christ in Majesty surrounded by the four evangelist symbols derives from prototypes such as the mid-ninth-century Tours Majestas pages, found in the Vivian Bible and other related manuscripts. The rather heavy, thick-set figure of Christ and the idiosyncratic egg-and-acanthus border may be compared with these features on a plaque of the enthroned Christ in Berlin. |
| Production | probably 10th century |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | 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. This was originally probably from a book cover. The form of the Christ in Majesty surrounded by the four evangelist symbols derives from prototypes such as the mid-ninth-century Tours Majestas pages, found in the Vivian Bible and other related manuscripts. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.36-1923 |
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| Record created | January 8, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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