Attribution
Unknown

Polychromy - Gilding
Traces of gilding and polychromy: blue (lining of the Virgin's cloak), gold (pattern on the Virgin's cloak), red (Virgin's cloak and robe, pattern on the Virgin's robe, underside of Christ's tunic, base).

Reverse
The reverse is flat and smooth, only the Virgin's veil and the back of the Christ being carved.
Four circular plugged holes on the back, two additional ones around the crown and one on the top of the Virgin's head.
Spitzer collection label at the bottom.

Object Condition
Long vertical gash on the Virgin's chest.
A section of the ground has been broken off. The base has split diagonally in two and been repaired.
The base is made of a separate piece of ivory.

Comments
Underside: label referring to the Spitzer sale, with the number 116.

Provenance
Frédéric Spitzer collection, Paris: his sale, Chevallier and Mannheim, Paris, 27 April 1893, lot 116. George Salting collection: his bequest to the Museum in 1910.

Bibliography
La Collection Spitzer (Paris, 1890), I, no. 81 (E. Molinier).
'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910)/Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)', in List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture) (London, 1910), p. 90.
M. Longhurst, Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2 vols (London, 1927 and 1929), II (1929), p. 32.
The Making of Sculpture. The Materials and Techniques of European Sculpture, ed. by M. Trusted (London, 2007), p. 177, pl. 330 (N. Lopek).
P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings 1200-1550 (London, 2014), no. 20.