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FRENCH OR GERMAN, SECOND HALF 14TH CENTURY | Diptych with scenes from the life of Christ
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Diptych with scenes from the life of Christ
- with labels on the reverse inscribed: 1444
- ivory, in a later velvet-lined wood frame
- each leaf: 12.5 by 8cm., 4 7/8 by 3 1/8 in.frame: 19.5 by 23.5cm., 7 3/4 by 9 1/4 in.
- French or German, second half 14th century
Provenance
Private collection, Switzerland
Condition
The hinges of the diptych are lost, and therefore each leaf is loose. There are some losses around the former hinges. Otherwise the condition of the ivory is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some stable splitting to the ivory, consistent with the material, notably a slightly open split in the Annunciation scene. There is minor rubbing to the ivory at the high points. There are a few very small chips to the edges and corners. The diptych leaves are loosely inserted into a wood frame covered with fabric. There is wear to the fabric, including staining and some fraying.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
The present diptych may be grouped among Koechlin's 'diptyques à colonettes', whose common feature is the use of vertical registers divided by slender columns. For the composition, compare a diptych leaf in the British Museum with two vertical registers illustrating the Annunciation and the Nativity (inv. no. 1856,0623.78). The 'colonette' group has sometimes been localised in Cologne; a possible German origin of the present diptych is suggested its the mannered, elongated figures.
RELATED LITERATURE
O. M. Dalton, Catalogue of the Ivory Carvings of the Christian Era, cat. British Museum, London, 1909, no. 304; R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques français, Paris, 1924, vol. II, pp. 183-187; P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings: 1200-1550, cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, Part I, pp.300-301, no. 100
A Radiocarbon dating measurement report (ref. no. RCD-9080) prepared by J. Walker of RCD Lockinge, dated 30 May 2018, states that the ivory dates between AD 1315 and 1416 (95% confidence interval).
RELATED LITERATURE
O. M. Dalton, Catalogue of the Ivory Carvings of the Christian Era, cat. British Museum, London, 1909, no. 304; R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques français, Paris, 1924, vol. II, pp. 183-187; P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings: 1200-1550, cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, Part I, pp.300-301, no. 100
A Radiocarbon dating measurement report (ref. no. RCD-9080) prepared by J. Walker of RCD Lockinge, dated 30 May 2018, states that the ivory dates between AD 1315 and 1416 (95% confidence interval).