IVORY CARVINGS 45 



the Virgin and of St. John, each executed in the spirit of 

 reverent devotion characteristic of this early period, and 

 showing at once a good degree of technical skill, and an 

 unusual power of expression.* 



An unnamed German carver of the eleventh century 

 has chosen as his theme the Christ of the Apocalypse. 

 The inspiration of the work seems altogether Oriental. 

 Christ in the central niche has on or in His right hand the 

 seven angel stars, and bears in the left hand the keys of 

 hell and of death; on either side are set the seven candle- 

 sticks of the seven churches; in two niches both to the right 

 and left of the central one are an angel and a saint, the saint 

 on the left-hand side of the Christ having a braided beard 

 almost suggestive of the figures in Assyrian sculptures. 

 In spite of its lack of artistic finish this relief has an origi- 

 nality that is quite impressive. 



On a specimen of Hispano-Moorish ivory carving shown 

 in 1879, at an exhibition of the Burlington Fine Arts Club, 

 appears the name of a Moorish ivory carver, lOialaf , and as 

 the carving belongs to the first half of the eleventh century, 

 this is one of the earliest signed works in ivory from the 

 Middle Ages. It is a coffret 6 inches in height, on which 

 is engraved, in Cufic characters, an Arabic inscription that 

 has been rendered as follows: "It is more beautiful than a 

 casket adorned with diamonds. It serves to contain spices, 

 musk, camphor, and ambergris. There is nothing for me so 

 admirable as the sight of it. It inspires me with constancy 

 to support the troubles of my house." Certainly the artist 

 could not complain in this case of lack of appreciation. This 

 coffret was owned by Mr. John Malcolm of Poltallock.t 



Of all the medieval ivories, none surpasses in importance 



*Heiiri Bouchot, "Tresors des Bibliotheques, Ivoires des Reliures," p. 6. 

 fBurlington Fine Arts Club, Catalogue of Bronzes and Ivories of European origin, ex- 

 hibited in 1879, London, 1879, p. 45, Cabinet VII, No. 270. 



