Allemagne, Probablement Rhenan, troisieme quart du XIVe siecle

étiquette de collection au dos 28

Sotheby's, Londres, 14 décembre 1950, lot  28.

Finely carved with traces of green colouring from earlier gilt decoration visible in particular to the brickwork. Overall condition good. The hinges have been replaced and there is evidence of early repair at the hinge mounting. On the back of the panel each leaf appears to have had its edges slightly shaved as colour of the ivory is less mellow in these areas.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Chaque volet est divisé en deux registres avec la lecture des scènes de gauche à droite et de bas en haut. Chaque scène est divisée par une colonnette torsadée et surmontée d'une double arcature. Le récit commence en bas à gauche avec l'Annonciation et la Visitation, la Nativité et l'Annonce aux Bergers, et se poursuit sur le registre supérieur avec l'Adoration des Mages, puis en haut du feuillet droit la Crucifixion et Noli me tangere.

Ce diptyque se distingue par la finesse de la taille de l'ivoire, montrant avec précision chaque détail du relief sculpté profondément, que rehaussait la polychromie. On remarque les colonnettes torsadées séparant les scènes et le décor de briques polychrome apparaissant au-dessus des arcatures. Ces éléments architecturaux, caractéristiques des ivoires réalisés à Cologne au milieu du XIVe siècle, se rencontrent notamment sur un diptyque allemand de la Vie de saint Martin de Tours conservé au musée de Cleveland (Randall, 1993, no. 88 et Barnet, no. 41) et sur une tablette à écrire de la Walters Art Gallery de Baltimore (Randall, 1985).

REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHIQUES
R. H. Randall, Masterpieces of Ivory from the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, Londres, 1985, no. 341.
R. H. Randall, The Golden Age of Ivory, Gothic Carvings in North American Collections, New York 1993, no. 88, p.81.
P. Barnet, Images in Ivory, Precious Objects of the Gothic Age, cat. exp. Detroit Institute of Arts, 1997. 

GERMAN, PROBABLY RHENISH, THIRD QUARTER 14TH CENTURY
AN IVORY DIPTYCH WITH SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF CHRIST

Each of the leaves on this diptych is divided into two registers and reads from right to left, bottom to top with each episode separated by a rope twist column and surmounted by a double trefoil arch with crockets. Beginning from the bottom left  are the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity and Annunciation to the Shepherds; at the top, the Adoration of the Magi, the Crucifixion and Noli me tangere.

The distinguishing characteristics of this piece are not only the finely carved and deep relief but the inclusion of tile or brickwork above the arches and the rope twist columns. Both Little and Randall attribute the use of such brickwork to a German, and in particular Cologne, workshop or possibly to a German carver who had trained in Paris. Compare this piece with the diptych illustrating the Life of the Saint Martin of Tours in the Cleveland Museum of Art and illustrated by Randall (1993, no. 88) and Barnet (no. 41). Similar rope twist columns can also be found on the ivory writing tablet in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore illustrated by Randall (1985) and there tentatively attributed to a Flemish workshop of the last quarter of the fourteenth century.