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Gabled polyptych (tabernacle; frise d'arcatures) (Front)
Gabled polyptych (tabernacle; frise d'arcatures) (Front)
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Front

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Subject
Religious. Infancy of Christ.

Repository Institution
mv.vatican.va

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Rome, Vatican, Musei Vaticani

Inv. 64664 (Morey A89)

Ivory;metal (later hinges)

Height: 279mm
Width: 250mm
Depth: 4mm (wings); 27mm (centre)
Weight: 751.4g

Wings, left
Register 1: Visitation. Annunciation; dove of the Holy Spirit; vase of lilies.
Register 2: adoring Magi (part of the Adoration of the Magi).
Centre panel
Seated Virgin and Child; angel crowning the Virgin; Christ standing on the Virgin's left knee.
Wings, right
Register 1: Nativity with midwife or angel; Virgin holding the swaddled child.
Register 2: Presentation in the Temple; hanging lamp; Christ standing on the altar between the Virgin and Simeon; maid holding a candlestick and a basket of doves brought as offerings.
Pointed trefoils, rounded trefoils and incised trefoils in the gables.


Koechlin Number: 0159

Koechlin 1924: France, 2nd half of 14th century.
Morey 1936: Italy, 14th century.


Attribution
Unknown

Hinges
Two sets of two hinges on either side.

Polychromy - Gilding
Traces of gilding and polychromy: red (lining of the Virgin's veil; trefoils), green (trefoils), gold (along the hems; architectural details; crowns; hair; decorated background).

Reverse
Flat and smooth, with visible repairs.

Object Condition
Missing: base of the Virgin and Child in the centre panel (replaced); gable above the angel crowning the Virgin (later ivory replacement); upper right side of the centre panel (also a later ivory replacement); upper part of the gable of the outer left wing.

Comments
The bottom is covered in green velvet.

Provenance
Acquired in 1851 from the Benedictine convent of Muri, Switzerland.

Bibliography
R. Kanzler, Gli avori dei musei profano e sacro della Biblioteca Vaticana (Rome, 1903), II, no. 60, pl. XIV.
R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques français (Paris, 1924), I, pp. 126, 127, 129; II, no. 159.
A. Mercati, 'La provenienza di alcuni oggetti delle collezioni vaticane', in Studi e Testi 70 (1936), pp. 27, 36.
C. R. Morey, Gli oggetti di avorio e di osso del Museo Vaticano (Vatican City, 1936), pp. 79-80, no. A89, pl. XXI-XXII.


Image

Conway Library © Courtauld Institute of Art.

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