An ivory diptych detailing the Virgin and Child and the Crucifixion
Diptych with the Virgin and Child and the Crucifixion, Paris, France, 1325-50. Carved ivory with 18th century ebony backing. The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust) © The Courtauld

Diptych with the Virgin and Child and the Crucifixion

Paris, 1325-50

This is a frequent pairing of scenes in Gothic ivories. The artist contrasts the tenderness of the Virgin Mary holding the Child with the anguish of the Crucifixion. Viewers are encouraged to connect the two scenes—when the diptych is opened, Mary appears to look directly at her son on the cross. The Child’s crossed feet also prefigure the Crucifixion.

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Two men sit across from each other at a table covered with a brown tablecloth, playing cards. Both men wear overcoats and hats, and the man on the left smokes a pipe. They sit inside a wooden building. i Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) The Card Players, around 1892-96, The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

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