Plaque with Saint John the Baptist
Unknown Artist
ca. 1400
Medium
Ivory, traces of paint & gilding
Dimensions
Overall: 3 5/8 x 1 1/8 x 1/4 in. (9.2 x 2.8 x 0.7 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.210
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory plaque, dating to around 1400 and crafted by an unknown French artist, depicts Saint John the Baptist, the prophet and forerunner of Christ. Measuring just 3⅝ × 1⅛ inches, its petite scale suggests it was designed for intimate, personal devotion—perhaps as part of a diptych, book cover, or private altarpiece during the late Middle Ages. Produced in France amid the Gothic era's artistic flowering, such ivories were prized for their portability and spiritual potency, allowing the faithful to carry sacred imagery close to the heart. Carved with remarkable finesse from elepha...