The art of Gothic ivories: studies at the crossraods
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Abstract
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The paper examines the historical perception and evolving understanding of Gothic ivories, particularly focusing on a significant piece acquired by J. Pierpont Morgan in 1906, representing the Virgin and Child. It explores the shifts in scholarly opinion regarding the sculpture's authenticity and artistic merit, from early acclaim to later rejection and finally a reassessment prompted by contemporary research on polychromy and restoration practices. The analysis highlights the complexities of attribution and the impact of restoration on our understanding of Gothic art.
Key takeaways
- The restored areas, it should be remarked, are not necessarily by Louis Marcy, and there is no known historical connection to him for this ivory.
- Such large ivory statuettes of the Virgin and Child may well have been kept in boxes when not placed on an altar: the wardrobe account of Edward I in 1299-1300 lists among other ivories 'an image of the blessed Mary of ivory within a tabernacle in a case'.
- Due to its heraldic devices, this ivory diptych appears to be a unique window on to the golden age of Gothic ivories in Paris and the north of France.
- The New York ivory ( fig. 9) has been radiocarbon dated to 1290-1420 (2 sigma -95% probability).
- Our awareness about the circumstances of their making and use continues to yield new light, along with the scientific tools cited above which require continual reassessment of Gothic ivory carving.
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