Allemagne, probablement rhenan, vers 1360

Par tradition Furness Abbey, Angleterre
Collection William Hodgson, Esq., Angleterre
sa vente Sotheby's, Londres, 28 octobre 1954, lot 49

Exposition Crystal Palace, Londres, 1851 (selon la vente de 1954). 
Octocentenary of the Carlisle Diocese, Carlisle Cathedral Fratry 1933.

Cumberland News, 2 juin 1933.
M. Fair, 'Two Medieval Ivory Diptychs' dans The Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarians and Archaelogical Society, news series, tome. 28, 1928.

Overall condition good. Overall surface dirt in particular in the relief carving and the backs of the diptych. Some very fine vertical fissures in the grain of the ivory. Hinges have been replaced at an early date with two small vertical sections missing around hinge mounts of the exterior of the left panel
"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."

Les deux volets représentent les scènes de la Passion du Christ, répertoire iconographique que l'on rencontre aussi sur les grands diptyques du Maître de la Passion. Placée sous six arcatures trilobées ornées de crochets, l'histoire commençe en haut à gauche avec la Résurrection de Lazare, l'Entrée du Christ à Jérusalem, et se poursuit sur le volet droit avec la dernière Cène. Le volet gauche montre sur le registre inférieur le Baiser de Judas, et se termine par la Crucifixion sur le volet inférieur droit. Les détails précis des visages, le traitement  profond de la chevelure et de la barbe en boucles ondulées, le drapé des vêtements plissés ainsi que les gestes des mains, finement sculptées permettent d'attribuer cet ivoire à un atelier rhénan et de le dater vers 1360. Une plaque du musée du Louvre (inv. no. OA 7760) représentant la Crucifixion et Saint Martin, attribuée à un atelier mosan du XIVème siècle montre des caractéristiques stylistiques proches de ce diptyque.

Lorsqu'il fut exposé à Carlisle en 1933 ce diptyque était connu sous le nom de 'Ulpha diptyque'  sans doute désignant sa provenance du petit village d'Ulpha se situant dans le Nord de l'Angleterre. Fair en 1928 écrivait que selon la tradition de la famille du propriétaire, le diptyque était originellement à l'abbaye de Furness dans la province de Cumberland.  L'abbaye de Furness était une des plus riches et importantes abbayes de l'ordre des Cisterciens en Angleterre.  Le diptyque changea de proprietaire probablement après la fermeture des abbayes par le roi Henri VIII lors de la dissolution des monastères (1538-1541).

GERMAN, PROBABLY RHENISH, CIRCA 1360
AN IVORY DIPTYCH OF THE PASSION, THE ULPHA DIPTYCH 
 
Each leaf is divided in two registers beneath six cusped arches surmounted by crockets and pierced trefoils, and they record scenes from the Passion to be read from left to right, top to bottom: the Raising of Lazarus, Entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper on the Upper Register, the Arrest of Christ, Judas hanged and the Crucifixion. The treatment to the faces, the hair and beards with distinctive curling locks point to a possible Rhenish workshop of circa 1360. Compare with the leaf in the Louvre (inv. no. OA 7760) carved with the Crucifixion and St. Martin, ascribed to the Mosan area and dated to the mid 14^th century.

When included in the Octocentenary of the Carlisle Diocese exhibition in 1933 this two register diptych of the Life of Christ was known as the Ulpha Diptych presumably named after the small village in Northern England where it had been preserved. Fair wrote in 1928 that by family tradition the diptych was originally at Furness Abbey, Cumberland. Furness Abbey was one of the wealthiest and most important Cistercian abbeys in England. The diptych would presumably have changed hands when the abbey was closed by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1538-1541).