Ivory Crozier Head with Christ in Majesty and Throne of Wisdom
Unknown Artist
13th century and later
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall (ab together): 7 3/16 x 3 3/4 x 1 1/8 in. (18.2 x 9.5 x 2.9 cm) a head only: 3 3/8 x 11/16 in. (8.6 x 1.7 cm) b shaft only: 5 7/16 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/8 in. (13.8 x 3.8 x 2.9 cm) c base only: 5 1/8 x 2 11/16 x 2 11/16 in. (13 x 6.9 x 6.9 cm) Overall (abc together when object came in): 12 5/16 x 4 9/16 x 2 11/16 in. (31.3 x 11.6 x 6.9 cm)
Classification
Ivories-Elephant
Culture
Italian or German
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Frederick C. Hewitt Fund, 1911
Accession Number
11.182.3a–c
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory crozier head, crafted by an unknown artist in the th century or later, hails from either Italian or German workshops during the height of medieval Christian art. A crozier was the ceremonial staff of a bishop,izing the shepherd's crook guiding the faithful, and its head often featured divine imagery to underscore ecclesiastical authority. Measuring about 7 inches tall when assembled with its shaft and base, this delicate piece exemplifies the era's devotion to religious symbolism amid the Gothic period's emphasis on spiritual hierarchy. At its center, Christ is enthroned ...