Folding Shrine
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Elephant ivory with gilding and metal hinges
Dimensions
Overall (closed): 9 x 3 1/2 x 1 7/8 in. (22.9 x 8.9 x 4.8 cm) Overall (opened): 9 x 7 5/8 x 1 7/8 in. (22.9 x 19.4 x 4.8 cm)
Classification
Ivories-Elephant
Culture
European (Medieval style)
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Gwynne M. Andrews, 1931
Accession Number
31.33.38
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Folding Shrine*, crafted in the 19th from elephant ivory with gilding metal hinges, exemplifies a revival of medieval European artistry. Measuring just 9 x 3½ x 1⅞ inches when closed, it unfolds to 9 x 7⅝ x 1⅞ inches, revealing intricate carvings of men, women, and the Madonna and Child—iconic figures in Christian devotion. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art department (Bequest of Gwynne M Andrews, 1931), it bridges 19th nostalgia for the Gothic past with authentic medieval techniques. Folding shrines like this were prized in medieval Europe as portable altars for ...