Leaf from a Diptych with the Adoration of the Magi
Unknown Artist
ca. 1350–75
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall: 4 1/2 x 2 7/8 x 3/8 in. (11.5 x 7.3 x 0.9 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
North French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.283
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory leaf, carved around 1350–75 by an unknown North French artist, forms one panel of a diptych—a hinged, portable devotional object popular among medieval nobility and clergy. It depicts the Adoration of the Magi a pivotal Nativity scene where the three wise men present gifts to the Christ Child held by the Virgin Mary, symbolizing Christ's kingship and the spread of Christianity to Gentiles. The intimate scale (just 4½ x 2⅞ inches) made such works ideal for private prayer, folding shut like a book for safekeeping during travel. Crafted from elephant ivory, a prized luxury m...