Assumption; Virgin in a mandorla borne to Heaven by angels (bodily Assumption); Virgin holding a martyr's palm and a book; musician angels (rebec, organ, flute; bagpipes; drums).
In a quatrefoil enclosed in a diamond. Pointed trefoils.
Randall 1993: English (?), 14th century.
Robinson et al 2008: Paris, 14th century.
Museum's opinion 2010: French, 14th century.
Attribution
Unknown
Hinges
Traces of two missing hinges on the left side
Reverse
Smooth and flat. Scratched inscription in centre: 'R9'.
Object Condition
Two important vertical cracks.
Two drilled holes in upper part of the panel.
Comments
Randall argued that the left wing of this diptych was at the Courtauld Gallery, also in London (O.1966.GP.2) (Randall 1993), but it cannot be due to discrepancies in the dimensions of both wings (Lowden 2013).
Provenance
Collection of Mrs Flory Mackay, London (on or before 1971); British Museum, 1971, by purchase.
Bibliography
R. H. Randall, The Golden Age of Ivory: Gothic Ivory Carvings in North American Collections (New York, 1993), p. 71 (in relation to no. 62).
P. Kevin, J. Robinson, S. La Niece, C. Cartwright and C. Egerton, 'A musical instrument fit for a queen: the metamorphosis of a Medieval citole' in The British Museum Technical Research Bulletin 2 (2008), p. 15.
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