The affection displayed by Mother and Child became increasingly popular in northern Europe in the thirteenth century. In a variation of an iconic Byzantine image known as the Virgin Eleousa, the Virgin is portrayed receiving a tender touch on the chin. This statuette was originally set into a protective tabernacle.
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Artwork Details
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Title:Virgin and Child
Date:ca. 1250
Culture:North French
Medium:Elephant ivory
Dimensions:Overall (without modern base): 11 5/8 x 4 3/4 x 4 1/16 in. (29.5 x 12.1 x 10.3 cm)
Classification:Ivories-Elephant
Credit Line:Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Object Number:17.190.181a, b
This ivory sculpture represents a seated Mary holding the young Jesus in her lap. She wears a veil and a long, belted gown or kirtle. Her mantel is swept across her lap, from which it spills in diagonal folds from her left knee. Gazing outward, she supports her son with her left hand and touches his foot with her right while he looks up at her and playfully touches her chin. Jesus holds a small sphere in his left hand, an allusion to the fruit of the Tree of Life that he offers his followers and to the imperial orb that symbolizes dominion of the world. Jesus and Mary share similar facial features, with curly hair, almond-shaped eyes with creased lids, and an arching brow. Together with the naturalistic rendering of the draped figure, these facial features recall Parisian monumental sculpture from the lifetime of Louis IX (1214–1270) and suggest a date in the middle of the twelve hundreds. A radiocarbon survey conducted in 2002 dated the ivory material to the years between 1160 and 1270 (2 sigma calibration 95% probability), corroborating this attribution and allaying concerns that it may have originated in the ring of forgers fronted by Luigi Parmeggiani (alias Louis Marcy).
The sculpture preserves traces of previous attachments, lost elements, and restorations. The smooth, cap-like top of Mary’s head once supported a crown. The modern copper-alloy replacement of an original crown, probably of silver, has now been removed. A modern copper-alloy throne with etched donor figures were removed in 1929 and left a green stain on the ivory. These two modern elements likely contributed to modern doubts about the statue’s authenticity, but in the nineteenth century it was common practice to "correct" broken or incomplete medieval artifacts to make them complete and therefore more readily saleable. The dowel holes that fixed the crown in place are visible on the sides of the head, which has caused areas of loss on the left side. Glue and dowels secured the throne to the main body of the statue, covering the half-conical hole in the back of the statue. That hole may have originated as the nerve cavity of the elephant tusk that was widened and regularized by the carver to serve as a receptacle for a relic (Williamson 2014, 25). A further pegged hole on the left shoulder is of uncertain origin. The sculpture is in generally good condition. There is damage to Mary’s left hand, her veil, and the feet of Jesus. The dowel hole on the left foot of Jesus is likely the remnant of a historical restoration, while Mary’s left foot is also a modern replacement. No traces of paint or gilding are visible to the unaided eye, and the ivory has received a light brown patina with extensive craquelure.
This statue recalls the Byzantine Eleusa or "Virgin of Tender Mercy," a form of icon that calls attention to the affectionate relationship between Mary and Jesus., The type was used to elicit an emotional response in Christian devotees. During the thirteen hundreds, representations of the Virgin and Child in France began to reflect currents in devotion and lay piety that began in the previous century. Theologians such as Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) had emphasized Mary’s persona as a compassionate intercessor for humankind. The popularity of the devotion to Mary led to the rededication of churches and cathedrals in honor of Mary and to innovations in lay piety that underscored emotional affect and a recognition of the humanity of the persons of Mary and Jesus. This statue, with its naturalistic rendering of a childlike Jesus playfully reaching out to his mother, manifested many of these emergent religious innovations, and this more human representation overtook the older, more hieratic, representations (see for instance Met Museum acc. no. 16.32.194) that emphasize Mary’s role as a mystical "Throne of Wisdom."
Further Reading:
Marian Campbell and Claude Blair, "Vive le Vol’: Louis Marcy, Anarchist and Faker," in Why Fakes Matter: Essays on Problems of Authenticity, edited by Mark Jones (London: Trustees of the British Museum, 1990): pp. 134-150.
Elizabeth Sears, "Ivory and Ivory Workshops in Medieval Paris," in Images in Ivory: Precious Objects of the Gothic Age, ed. Peter Barnet (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997): pp. 18-37.
Tom Williamson and Glynn Davies, Medieval Ivories, 1200-1500: Part 1 (London: Victoria & Albert Publishing, 2014), 23-82.
Charles T. Little, "The Art of Gothic Ivories: Studies at the Crossroads," Sculpture Journal 23 (2014): pp. 13-29.
Sarah M. Guérin, "Introduction to Gothic Ivories," in Gothic Ivories Calouste Gulbekian Collection (London: Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd., 2015): pp. 16-35.
Catalogue Entry by Scott Miller, Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial and Research Collections Specialist, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, 2020–2022
Charles Stein, Paris (until 1886); [his posthumous sale, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris (May 10–14, 1886, no. 22, to Odiot)]; Ernest Odiot, Paris (sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, April 26-27, 1889); Martin Hecksher, Vienna (until 1898); [ Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., Inc., Paris and New York (from 1898)]; Georges Hoentschel (French); J. Pierpont Morgan (American), London and New York
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "The Middle Ages: Treasures from The Cloisters and The Metropolitan Museum of Art," January 18, 1970–March 29, 1970.
Chicago. Art Institute of Chicago. "The Middle Ages: Treasures from The Cloisters and The Metropolitan Museum of Art," May 16, 1970–July 5, 1970.
Catalogue des objets d'art de Haute Curiosite et d'ameublement composant l'importante collection de M. Ch. Stein. Paris: Galerie Georges Petit, May 10–14, 1886. no. 22, p. 8, ill.
Catalogue des Objets d'Art et de Haute Curiosité, Tableaux Anciens composant La Précieuse Collection de M. Ernest Odiot. Paris: Hôtel Drouot, April 26–27, 1889. no. 24, p. 34, ill.
Catalogue of the renowned Collection of Works of Art, chiefly of the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries, formed by the late Martin Heckscher. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, May 4–6, 1898. no. 190, p. 37, ill. opp. p. 36.
Pératé, André. Collections Georges Hoentschel: Ivoires, orfèvrerie religieuse, pierres. Vol. 2. Paris: Librairie Centrale des Beaux-Arts, 1911. no. 22, fig. XIX.
"J. P. Morgan to Bring Hoentschel Treasures Here." The New York Times (February 11, 1912). p. 13, ill.
Koechlin, Raymond. Les Ivoires Gothiques Français: Volume I, Text. Paris: Editions Auguste Picard, 1924. no. 76, pp. 22,101.
Koechlin, Raymond. Les Ivoires Gothiques Français: Volume II, Catalogue. Paris: Editions Auguste Picard, 1924. no. 76, p. 34.
Koechlin, Raymond. Les Ivoires Gothiques Français: Volume III, Plates. Paris: Editions Auguste Picard, 1924. no. 76, pl. XXVII.
Breck, Joseph, and Meyric R. Rogers. The Pierpont Morgan Wing: A Handbook. 2nd ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1929. pp. 90, 113, fig. 63.
Ostoia, Vera K. The Middle Ages: Treasures from the Cloisters and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1969. no. 52, pp. 116–117, 256.
Gaborit-Chopin, Danielle. Ivoires Médiévaux, Ve-XVe siècle. Paris: Musée du Louvre, 2003. p. 276.
Blair, Claude, and M. Campbell. Louis Marcy: Oggetti d'arte della Galleria Parmeggiani di Reggio Emilia. Torino: Umberto Allemandi, 2008. p. 142 n.1, Discussed in relation to cat. no. D4.
Lowden, John, and John Cherry. Medieval Ivories and Works of Art: The Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario Catalogue. Ontario: Paul Holberton Publishing, 2008. p. 44.
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