{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O251465"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O251465/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GD4540/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GD4540/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GD4540","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GD4541","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD3429","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX4529","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O251465/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O251465","accessionNumber":"A.9-1933","objectType":"Relief","titles":[{"title":"Wing of a Tabernacle Polyptych","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This ivory panel, a wing of a tabernacle polyptych, is divided into three compartments and shows scenes of the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi. It was made in England in about 1240-50. The style of the figures is unusual and finds a distinct parallel in the figure on the West front of Wells Cathedral. Although now only a fragment from a larger ensemble, the wing provides important evidence for non-French production in the early years of Gothic ivory carving. It is contemporary with the first products of the so-called 'Soissons group' and the earliest Virgin and Child statuettes, and thus considerably predates the main body of French ivory tabernacles which appear mostly to date from the years 1270-1320. \r\nThe term tabernacle polyptych has been used here (ref. Williamson and Davies) to describe an object which consists of a deep central chamber with canopy, usually containing the Virgin and Child, and four hinged wings with narrative scenes, which would distinguish them from the smaller category of simpler polyptychs, which are made up of a series of plaques hinged together but with no central tabernacle.  \r\nA feature that links most tabernacle polyptychs together is the method of facture: Although the Virgins in the tabernacles appear from the front to be statuettes they are with few exceptions carved integrally with the back and base panels, which is remarkably skilful.\r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Panel, ivory, in three compartments. Above the angel on the left moves towards the standing figure of the Virgin, between them is a lily growing from a vase. In the central panel the Virgin is shown lying on a high bed at the foot of which to the right is the seated Jospeh. In the background on a curious boat-shaped crib resting on a pillar, lies the Child, above is the head of the Ox and Ass. In the third panel, to the right, the first king kneels while behind him stand the two other Magi, crowned and wearing cloaks and tunics which fall below the knee. Above each compartment is a broad triple arch.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ivory","categories":[{"text":"Reliefs","id":"THES49035"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2013GD4540","2013GD4541","2006AD3429","2017JX4529"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"018","id":"THES395359"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Relief","id":"AAT53622"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1240-1250","earliest":"1235-01-01","latest":"1250-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased for £210 with A.8-1933 from Mr John Durrell-Hunt, London in 1933, under the bequest of the late Francis Reubell Bryan.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Relief, wing of a tabernacle polyptych, ivory, the Annunication, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, England, ca. 1240-50","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Porter, D.A. <u>Ivory Carving in Later Medieval England, 1200-1400.</u> PhD Thesis State University of New York at Binghampton, 1974, cat. no.15"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Grodecki, Louis. <u>Ivoires Français</u>. Paris, 1947, p. 95"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Review [1911-1938], <u>Victoria & Albert Museum. Review of the Principal Acquisitions during the Year</u>, London, 1933, pp. 3-4, pl. 1, b"},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul, ‘An English ivory tabernacle wing of the thirteenth century’, in: <u> Burlington Magazine</u>, CXXXII, 1990","id":"AUTH333723"},"details":"pp. 863-66","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, <u>Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550</u>, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014","id":"AUTH332632"},"details":"part 1, pp. 158, 9","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul, <u>Gothic Sculpture 1140-1300</u>, Pelican History of Art, New Haven and London, 1995 (2nd, paperback edn, London and New Haven 1998)","id":"AUTH332636"},"details":"pp. 114, 275 (note 56)","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, <u>Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550</u>, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, part 1, pp. 158, 9, cat. no. 49"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Virgin Mary","id":"N480"},{"text":"Joseph","id":"N614"},{"text":"Magi","id":"N4697"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"angel","id":"x31516"},{"text":"ox","id":"x30395"},{"text":"ass","id":"x30281"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.9-1933"],"accessionNumberNum":"9","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1933,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-24","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}