Annunciation.
Koechlin 1924: France, 1st half of the 14th century (Niort fragment of the same polyptych).
Randall 1993: English (German workman or model), 2nd quarter of the 14th century.
Attribution
Unknown
Polychromy - Gilding
Traces of polychromy and gilding: red, green, black and yellow (pattern on the background, book). Painted inscription on the scroll: 'AV[...]'.
Reverse
Not visible.
Object Condition
Shaved on all sides. Broken down the centre.
Comments
Other fragments of this polyptych have survived: one in the Musée Bernard d'Agesci in Niort (Inv. 914.1.137), two in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (64.27.19 and 64.27.20), two other ones in the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento (1960.3.54 and 79) and one in Washington. This panel was the 1st register of the outer left wing.To see how these fragments were originally arranged, see Randall 1993.
Provenance
Gift of Ralph C. and Violette M. Lee in 1960.
Bibliography
R. Koechlin, Les Ivoires gothiques français (Paris, 1924), II, no. 182 (Niort fragment of the same polyptych).
R. H. Randall, The Golden Age of Ivory: Gothic Ivory Carvings in North American Collections (New York, 1993), no. 45a.
All images on this website are made available exclusively for scholarly and educational purposes and may not be used commercially.