Gothic Ivories Project | Diptych, 1 register, 3 arches across (frise d'arcatures) (Front)

Wing, left
Crucifixion; swooning Virgin supported by Holy Women; saint John the Evangelist and onlookers holding scrolls.
Wing, right
Death of the Virgin (Dormition); Christ holding the soul of the Virgin; apostle holding a pillow under the Virgin's head; apostles.
Pointed trefoils in the spandrels; border of dentils.

Attribution
Unknown

Hinges
Four holes along one side of each wing could be the trace of three missing hinges but they would not correspond to the usual hinging system, and one would generally expect the Crucifixion to be on the right wing.

Reverse
Flat and smooth. The back of each panel has been chamfered along one of its longer edges. Faint ink inscription: 'L G' on each wing. Three evenly spaced indents along one side of each wing, reminiscent of bookbinding techniques, possibly indicating that the ivory panels were used as binding covers (?).

Object Condition
The chamfering on the back of both panels seems to have been done later, as well as the indents. It is possible that the holes along the other side are also later.

Provenance
Acquired from Herman Baer in London in 1963.

All images on this website are made available exclusively for scholarly and educational purposes and may not be used commercially.