Auction 102
By Bertolami Fine Art
Dec 21, 2021
London, Italy
21 dicembre 2021 ore 12:00 CET
The auction has ended

LOT 6:

Ivory crucifix - North Europe 1827


carved elephant ivory (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 or ...

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Start price:
7,000
Estimated price :
€10,000 - €15,000
Buyer's Premium: 26% More details
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Ivory crucifix - North Europe 1827


carved elephant ivory (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 or Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797) “Corpus Christi” placed on a double wooden cross made of natural wood and ebonized wood. Under the feet of Christ is a Vanitas represented by the symbol of the skull and crossbones.
A vanitas is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. The skull was the symbol of death from the 1500s onwards; previously death was represented as a skeleton. Skulls were very popular in the Baroque period and were not only an essential part of any Wonderland Room (Wunderkammer), but also acted as contemplative reminders of mortality. Signed and dated on the thong: F.R. Godmacher 1827. Height x width of Christ 55 x 41.5 cm, height x width of the cross 122 x 61 cm. Item condition grading: **** good. Accompanied by Ce.S.Ar. Centro Studi Archeometrici certificate of authenticity (pre-1947).

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