{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O106700"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106700/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD1292/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD1292/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AD1292","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LX7390","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O106700/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O106700","accessionNumber":"A.16-1922","objectType":"Statuette","titles":[{"title":"The Christ Child","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This ivory statuette representing the infant Christ was probably made in ca. 1650-1700 in Goa. The metal belt is modern. It is apparently intended to be viewed  horizontally. It resembles in general form the seated figures of Christ on The Mount of the Good Shepherd. The enamelled belt was previously thought to have been added in Mexico (Museum records), but is now considered to be more probably European, perhaps Netherlandish or Spanish, although it is likely to date from the seventeenth century, and therefore to be approximately contemporary with the ivory. \nGoa was the second base in India to be established by the Portuguese, having been conquered by Alfonso de Albuquerque (about 1453-1515) during the reign of Manuel I of Portugal initially in 1510, and then reconquered in 1512. Portugal was interested first and foremost in trade, and the discovery of India was motivated by a desire to dominate trade-routes. But the Christian settlers and missionaries were also keen to convert the native populace to Christianity, and religious images in ivory were commissioned to assist in this. Some were exported to Europe, but others evidently remained and were used for evangelical purposes. From the sixteenth century onwards, the four main missionary Orders (Augustinians, Jesuits, Dominicans and Franciscans) built churches and aimed to convert the inhabitants of India. Despite the control of the Church over subject matter, the iconography of Indian art also permeated Christian ivories.","physicalDescription":"The Christ Child is shown asleep, resting his right cheek against his hand, his left leg crossed over his right. A gilt enamelled belt with a ruby is fixed around his waist. The top of the head is pierced with a hole. The toes and the little finger on the right hand are missing.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved ivory with enammelled metal belt","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AD1292","2019LX7390"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES395346"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Goa","id":"x29824"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Goa","id":"x29824"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1650 - ca. 1700","earliest":"1645-01-01","latest":"1704-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir Charles Wyndham Murray in 1922","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This figure of the Christ Child sleeping is apparently intended to be viewed horizontally. It resembles in general form the seated figures of Christ on The Mount of the Good Shepherd.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Statuette, carved ivory, of the Christ Child sleeping, Indo-Portuguese (Goa), ca. 1650-1700","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Longhurst, Margaret H. <font -u>Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory.</font> London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1927-1929, Part II, p. 113"},{"reference":{"text":"Trusted, Marjorie, <u>Baroque & Later Ivories</u>, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013","id":"AUTH329728"},"details":"p. 372","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Trusted, Marjorie, <u>Baroque & Later Ivories</u>, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 372, cat. no. 367"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Jesus Christ","id":"N1515"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.16-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"16","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-24","recordCreationDate":"2004-10-22","availableToBook":true}}