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Ivory Plaque with Enthroned Mother of God ("The Stroganoff Ivory")
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The Mother of God is seated on a lavishly carved, high-backed throne. Two angels hover above, drawing attention to the Christ child poised in her lap. Representations of the enthroned Virgin and Child have a long tradition in Byzantine art, stretching back as far as the 6th century. With one hand raised in blessing, the other holding a scroll, Christ is portrayed here as an emotionless and supernatural child, visualizing for the pious beholder the mystery of his incarnation.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineIvory Plaque with Enthroned Mother of God ("The Stroganoff Ivory"), 950–1025. Byzantium, Constantinople, Byzantine period. Ivory; overall: 25.3 x 17.2 x 1.8 cm (9 15/16 x 6 3/4 x 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1925.1293
