French, probably Paris, mid-14th century

each leaf with a Sotheby's sale label (12 December 1996) to the reverse

Private collection, Switzerland, since circa 1900;
Sotheby's London, 12 December 1996, lot 33;
private collection, Belgium

Overall the condition of the ivory is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is particular dirt to the ivory in the crevices. The diptych is loose in two parts; the lower hinges being lost, and the upper left hinge damaged. There is a metal pin to the outer side of each wing, and a metal hook to each wing at the top. There is some stable splitting to the ivory consistent with the material, notably slightly open splits to the bottom right side of the right panel, and to both sides at the top of the left panel. There is a loss to the top right arch on the left wing; this may be an original feature of the ivory tusk. There are a few minor chips to the corners, as well as some rubbing at the corners and high points. There are also a few very minor chips to the rosettes. The ivory has yellowed in areas, consistent with the material, notably to the reverse and to some of the figures in the Crucifixion scene. There are a few minor nicks and scratches.
"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."

The iconography and stylistic language of this large diptych indicate an origin in Paris, the foremost centre for ivory carving in the 13th and 14th centuries. While the lower register is devoted to the Adoration of the Christ Child, the upper register depicts the end of Christ's life, with the Crucifixion and the Entombment. Stock motifs such as that of the Three Magi, of which variants appear in both late-13th and 14th-century ivories (Gaborit-Chopin, op. cit., pp. 267 and 345), are here given a spacious setting, with a broad arrangement of figures. The specific decoration of the present diptych, combining trefoil arches and rosette borders, is seen in examples dated by Koechlin to the second half of the 14th century (op. cit., nos. 805 and 833). However the classicism of the figural style relates also to carvings from the earlier 14th century; compare a diptych in Oxford and New York (Koechlin, op. cit., no. 234), a panel at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Williamson and Davies, op. cit., no. 58), and a diptych leaf at the Louvre (Gaborit-Chopin, op. cit., p. 344). The present diptych is distinguished by the serene beauty of the figures in the lower register and the attractive remnants of polychromy. 

RELATED LITERATURE
R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires Gothiques Français, Paris, 1924; D. Gaborit-Chopin, Ivoires médiévaux, Ve-XVe siècle, cat. musée du Louvre, Paris, 2003; P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings: 1200-1550, Part I, cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014