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Death and the Coronation of the Virgin

Unknown

1365

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Medieval Religious

Dominant colour

Death and the Coronation of the Virgin is a 1365 by Unknown, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1365
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This ivory diptych shows two scenes side by side. On the left, Mary lies on a bed while apostles gather around. On the right, Jesus crowns Mary as queen in heaven. The carving is so tiny you could hold it in one hand. Its details are crisp, even after 650 years. Check out the same scene in marble at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

The ivory diptych, crafted in Venice around 1360–1370, depicts the Dormition of the Virgin on the left panel, where she lies on a couch surrounded by apostles, and the Coronation of the Virgin on the right, showing Christ and the Virgin enthroned with angels playing instruments. Each leaf features an arcade of four scalloped arches topped with gables adorned with comma-shaped crockets, while the spandrels are filled with quatrefoil and cinquefoil tracery. The right leaf includes additional layered arches above the quatrefoils, reflecting Gothic stylistic influences common in Venetian ivory…

Read the full account in the museum source.