Descent from the Cross

12th century

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Joseph of Arimathea lowers the crucified body of Christ toward the Virgin in this ivory plaque, while Saint John the Evangelist grieves on a nearby rock and Nicodemus removes a nail from Christ’s foot. The inscription on the upper edge claims that Bishop Bernward commissioned the work in 1006, but both an error in the inscription and the carving style, with its unusual poses and crude details, suggest a later date.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Descent from the Cross
Date: 12th century
Culture: Italian
Medium: Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 5 1/16 x 4 in. (12.9 x 10.2 cm)
Classification: Ivories
Credit Line: Dom-Museum Hildesheim (DS 11)
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters