10 Ivory Carvings & Sculpture from the Bible! 15 & 16th Century. With Footnote, # 13

Maria lactans, c. mid-15th century, France

Ivory

Height: 17 cm

Private collection

The Nursing Madonna, Virgo Lactans, or Madonna Lactans, is an iconography of the Madonna and Child in which the Virgin Mary is shown breastfeeding the infant Jesus.

The depiction is mentioned by Pope Gregory the Great, and a mosaic depiction probably of the 12th century is on the facade of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome, though few other examples survive from before the late Middle Ages. It continued to be found in Orthodox icons, especially in Russia.

In the Middle Ages, the middle and upper classes usually contracted breastfeeding out to wetnurses, and the depiction of the Nursing Madonna was linked with the Madonna of Humility, a depiction that showed the Virgin in more ordinary clothes than the royal robes shown, for instance, in images of the Coronation of the Virgin, and often seated on the ground. The appearance of a large number of such depictions in Tuscany in the early 14th century was something of a visual revolution for the theology of the time, compared to the Queen of Heaven depictions. After the Council of Trent in the mid-16th century, clerical writers discouraged nudity in religious subjects, and the use of the Madonna Lactans iconography began to fade away. More on the nursing Madonna

The thorny crown of Christ

Two-ivory carvings

Height: 15 cm. 

17th century.

Private collection

Jesus sitting on a stone block with his head pressed down by a soldier, while the soldier places the crown of his thorn with iron gloves. More on this sculpture 

19th century.

A youthful Madonna

Ivory. 

Height: 35 cm. 

Private collection

On a cloud base, this busy winged angel with three heads and a crescent moon. put your hands over your chest, facing the view with inset glass eyes upward. More on A youthful Madonna

The two Marys, Johannes Evangelist with gospel book, and Nicodemus

Pair of ivory figures

Height: 17 per cm. Early 17th century.

Private collection

The two Marys and Johannes Evangelist with gospel book, behind the Holy Nicodemus. The ivory figures formerly colored calm, still preserved remains of the holder into the garment depths. flattened at the back. More on the 2 Marys

As the depiction of the Passion of Christ increased in complexity towards the end of the first millennium, a number of scenes were developed covering the period between the death of Jesus on the Cross and his being placed in his tomb. The accounts in the Canonical Gospels concentrate specifically mention the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene as present. More on the 2 Marys

John the Evangelist is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, though this has been disputed by modern scholars.

Christian tradition says that John the Evangelist was John the Apostle. A historical figure, one of the "pillars" of the Jerusalem church after Jesus' death. He was one of the original twelve apostles and is thought to be the only one to have lived into old age and not be killed for his faith. John is associated with the city of Ephesus, where he is said to have lived and been buried. Some believe that he was exiled (around 95 AD) to the Aegean island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. More

He wrote to the seven Christian churches in Asia to warn them of various challenges and temptations that confront them, which have been revealed to him in a vision. He then relates several additional powerful visions concerning the Last Days and the Second Coming of Christ. More

Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John: 1- He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus' teachings. 2- The second time Nicodemus is mentioned, he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged. 3- Finally, Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial

An apocryphal work under his name—the Gospel of Nicodemus—was produced in the mid-4th century, and is mostly a reworking of the earlier Acts of Pilate, which recounts the harrowing of Hell. More Nicodemus 

VIRGIN AND CHILD

IVORY SCULPTURE. CIRCA 1800

Height: 11,5 cm.

Private collection

Jesus Christ bust 
Mammoth Ivory Figurine
Height: 8, Width:7 , Length: 3.5 Cm
Private collection

This Figurine is Hand carved by a Master Carver to perfection. This Figurine is made of 100% genuine Mammoth Ivory Tusk. The extinct woolly Mammoth roamed the earth before 10,000-40,000 years ago. Today we can find Mammoth ivory tusk in the arctic regions like Siberia in Russia. Mammoth ivory figurines are absolutely legal worldwide. More on Mammoth Ivory

Trade in the ivory from the tusks of dead mammoths has occurred for 300 years and continues to be legal. Mammoth ivory is used today to make handcrafted knives and similar implements. Mammoth ivory is rare and costly because mammoths have been extinct for millennia, and scientists are hesitant to sell museum-worthy specimens in pieces.[39] Some estimates suggest that 10 million mammoths are still buried in Siberia. More on Mammoth Ivory

Saint Joseph holding in his hands baby Jesus
Mammoth Ivory figurine
Height: 14 Cm / 5.5 In
Private collection

Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus, and is venerated as Saint Joseph. In both Catholic and Protestant traditions, Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of workers and is associated with various feast days. Pope Pius IX declared him to be both the patron and the protector of the Catholic Church, in addition to his patronages of the sick and of a happy death, due to the belief that he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary. In popular piety, Joseph is regarded as a model for fathers and has also become patron of various dioceses and places.

Several notable images of Saint Joseph have been granted a Canonical coronation by a Pope. In popular religious iconography he is associated with lilies or a spikenard. With the present-day growth of Mariology, the theological field of Josephology has also grown and since the 1950s centers for studying it have been formed.

According to the New Testament, Joseph was the father of James, Joses, Jude, Simon, and at least two daughters. More on Saint Joseph

Virgin with Child

Gothic style  French work. Period: XIXth century

Carved ivory

H.:50cm. 

Private collection

Virgin Mary Holding Baby Jesus

Mammoth Ivory figurine 

H:22Cm

Private collection

Salvador Dalí, 1904 - 1989

CHRIST OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, 1978

Patinated metal bas relief sculpture

30 x 18 x 2 in. (76.2 x 45.7 x 5.1 cm)

Signed, 99/195.

Private collection

The sculpture is known as the Christ of Saint John of the Cross, because its design is based on a drawing by the 16th-century Spanish friar John of the Cross. The composition of Christ is also based on a triangle and circle (the triangle is formed by Christ's arms; the circle is formed by Christ's head). The triangle, since it has three sides, can be seen as a reference to the Trinity, and the circle may be an allusion to Platonic thought. The circle represents Unity: all things do exist in the "three" but in the four, merry they be. More on  the Christ of Saint John of the Cross

Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marqués de Dalí de Púbol (11 May 1904 – 23 January 1989), known professionally as Salvador Dalí, was a prominent Spanish surrealist painter born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain.

Dalí was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters. His best-known work, The Persistence of Memory, was completed in August 1931. Dalí's expansive artistic repertoire included film, sculpture, and photography, in collaboration with a range of artists in a variety of media.

Dalí attributed his "love of everything that is gilded and excessive, my passion for luxury and my love of oriental clothes" to an "Arab lineage", claiming that his ancestors were descended from the Moors.

Dalí was highly imaginative, and also enjoyed indulging in unusual and grandiose behavior. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork, to the dismay of those who held his work in high esteem, and to the irritation of his critics. More Salvador Dalí

Acknowledgement: HAMPEL, IvoryAndArt, and others

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