Standing veiled female figure holding a closed book.
Koechlin 1924 and Vitali 1976: France, end of the 1st quarter of the 14th century.
Zastrow 1978 and Museum's opinion 2009: France, early 14th century.
Attribution
Unknown
Polychromy - Gilding
Traces of polychromy along the hems (Koechlin).
Reverse
Flat. Traces of red. Crosshatched in places. Nerve canal visible.
Object Condition
Missing: right forearm and hand; fingers on the left hand.
Cord belt partly broken. Broken at the neck (repaired), a piece of cloth at the back hides the damaged area (Koechlin).
Comments
Koechlin, in 1924, suggested the figure was the Virgin, belonging to a Crucifixion scene. Vitali, in 1976, though this was a female saint rather than the Virgin.
Provenance
On loan from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera di Milano to the Museum since 1864.
Bibliography
R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques français (Paris, 1924), I, p. 263; II, no. 741, III, pl. CXXII.
G. Nicodemi, 'Avori del Castello Sforzesco', in Città di Milano (January 1929), p. 15.
O. Zastrow, 'Avori', in Capolavori di arte decorativa nel Castello Sforzesco (Milan, 1975), p. 159.
L. Vitali, Avori gotici francesi (Milan, 1976), no. 3.
O. Zastrow, Museo d'arti applicate: gli avori (Milan, 1978), no. 42, pl. 91-94.
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