An Ivory from the Carolingian Renaissance

Published on 10 November 2020, by Sophie Reyssat

Auction on 22 November 2020 - 14:30 (CET) - 2, rue du Docteur-Leray - 95880 Enghien-les-Bains

Carved towards the end of the 9^th century on the theme of Christ's entry into Jerusalem, this ivory was used as a binding plate for an sacred book: a rarity similar to works by the School of Metz.

Carolingian art, Second School of Metz or its next generation, c. 880-910, ivory... An Ivory from the Carolingian Renaissance

Carolingian art, Second School of Metz or its next generation, c. 880-910, ivory binding plate carved in bas-relief with two registers, 20.1 x 13.3 x 0.7 cm (approximately 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.27 in).
Estimate: €100,000/200,000

Having remained in the same family for several generations, this ivory binding plate in excellent condition is a rarity. Its size and impressive flatness indicate that it was carved from a fairly broad elephant tusk. A highly reliable carbon-14 test has dated it to between 688 and 884, i.e. during the Carolingian Dynasty when ivory carving, which had declined with the fall of the Roman Empire, was undergoing a revival. During antiquity,…

This article is for subscribers only

You still have 85% left to read.

To discover more, Subscribe