Virgin of the Annunciation
Unknown Artist
late 13th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall: 7 3/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 3/4 in. (18.2 x 5.9 x 4.4 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
17.190.299
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Virgin of the Annunciation*, in the late 13th century an unknown French artist, captures a pivotal moment in Christian iconography: the Virgin Mary the angel Gabriel's divine message. Standing just over seven inches tall, this delicate ivory sculpture hails from the height of the Gothic period in France, when such small-scale devotional objects flourished in workshops, particularly in Paris. Its intimate dimensions—7 3/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 3/4—suggest it was designed for private prayer, perhaps held in the hand during moments of contemplation. Crafted from elephant ivory, a prized ...