Ivory Plaque with St. John the Evangelist in the Cloisters, Sept. 2007

Plaque with Saint John the Evangelist, early 9th century; Early Medieval
Carolingian; Made in Aachen, Lotharingia
Elephant ivory; Overall: 7 3/16 x 3 11/16 x 1/4 in. (18.3 x 9.4 x 0.7 cm)
The Cloisters Collection, 1977 (1977.421)

Until 1977, when it appeared at a London auction, this ivory from the Carolingian "Renaissance" was unknown. Carved in high relief, the frontally enthroned Evangelist displays his Gospel with the opening phrase IN PRINCI / PIO ERAT / VERBVM ("In the beginning was the Word" [John 1:1]). The arch, with its rich acanthus decoration, is supported by elaborate columns and encloses John's symbol, the eagle, which is directly above him. The entire composition is framed by a simple inscribed border. The text of this inscription is based on a line from the "Carmen Paschale," a poem by the fifth-century Christian writer Sedulius.

Among the remarkable features of this ivory are John's loose, classical pallium and mantle, whose calligraphic treatment and plasticity verge on pure fantasy. This tendency toward a sumptuous ornamental effect, in which the abundant drapery patterns and textures take on a life of their own, becomes a characteristic of several ivories of the Court School of Charlemagne (r. 768–814).

Artistically, these ivories are very close to the manuscripts produced in Aachen for the court of Charlemagne; this resemblance suggests that they probably were carved there. Some scholars have maintained that some of these ivories may date into the reign of his successor, Louis the Pious (814–840).

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...