Book cover — The Transfiguration, Lorraine, ca. 870-880
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 870-880
Book cover in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number 256-1867), made in Lorraine, dated ca. 870-880. The museum's brief description reads: Book cover, ivory, The Transfiguration, Carolingian, France, Lorraine (Metz), ca. 870-880. Museum description: The Transfiguration, panel in two compartments. Above Christ in a mandorla standing between Moses and Elias; below, the three adoring disciples point and cower in fear. The panel is surrounded by borders of foliage, itself contained inside a plain frame. The museum records it as Elephant ivory carved in high relief, measuring Height 8.3 cm; Width 5.8 cm; Width 6 cm; Depth 0.5 cm; Weight 0.02 kg. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
This is one of two ivory plaques, probably from a book cover, made in Lorraine (Metz) in about 870-880. This plaque shows the Transfiguration, while the other (Mus. no. 255-1867) would show Christ healing the Leper and the Blind. During the period 900-1200, ivories were produced all over Europe, often in monasteries and ecclesiastical or royal courts. The pieces were used for liturgical purposes. Ivory carvings appeared on book covers, reliquary caskets, antependia (the panel in front of an altar) and religious icons. This was probably originally from a book cover. The Transfiguration shows the moment when Christ made known his divine nature to his apostles Peter, James and John, in the presence of the Old Testament patriarchs Moses and Elijah. It took place on Mount Tabor in Galilee. Melzak convincingly connected the plaques with the Later Metz ivory panels of the border of the 'Cathedra Petri' in Rome and dated them to 870- 80. Iconographically the scenes of the healing of the leper and the healing of the blind man may be compared with those on the contemporary plaques in Berlin and Würzburg and products in Metz.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- ivory
- Dimensions
- Height 8.3 cm; Width 5.8 cm; Width 6 cm; Depth 0.5 cm; Weight 0.02 kg
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Elephant ivory carved in high relief
- Place recorded
- Lorraine
Identification
- Museum object name
- Book cover
- Museum object number
- 256-1867
- Museum system number
- O88287
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.