Diptych
Unknown Artist
14th century
Medium
Ivory with metal mounts
Dimensions
Overall (opened): 6 11/16 x 8 1/16 x 7/16 in. (17 x 20.5 x 1.1 cm) closed: 6 11/16 x 4 1/16 x 1 1/16 in. (17 x 10.3 x 2.7 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.214
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 14th-century French diptych, crafted an unknown artist, unfolds like a portable treasure chest of medieval devotion. Measuring just 6 11/16 x 8 1/16 inches when opened, its two hinged panels feature finely carved reliefs depicting pivotal moments in Christ's life: the Annunciation, Nativity, Crucifixion, and Resurrection graced by angels, the Virgin Mary, and the himself. The delicate ivory, framed by ornate metal mounts, exemplifies Gothic artistry from northern France, where such objects were prized for their luminous translucency and intricate detail. Ivory diptychs like thi...