A Fine South German Baroque Ivory of the Virgin

Epoque: 1600-1699

Origine: South German

Medium: Ivory

Dimension: 26 x 9 cm (10¹/₄ x 3¹/₂ inches)

Literature: By the mid 15th century the Virgin’s lament over the dead Christ had become an established subject for artists, and over the next two centuries she became the ideal model of compassion for the western church. The depiction of her mourning gave the Virgin greater prominence in the Passion story. She became the ‘Addolorata’, the epitome of every grieving mother. She felt the pain of Christ’s passion more deeply than anyone else like a ‘sword piercing her soul’ (Luke 2:35).
Schenck has pointedly articulated her anguish in this remarkable Baroque ivory.