Ivory crucifix - North Europe 1827


carved elephant ivory (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 or Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797) “Corpus Christi” placed on a double wooden cross made of natural wood and ebonized wood. Under the feet of Christ is a Vanitas represented by the symbol of the skull and crossbones.
A vanitas is a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death. The skull was the symbol of death from the 1500s onwards; previously death was represented as a skeleton. Skulls were very popular in the Baroque period and were not only an essential part of any Wonderland Room (Wunderkammer), but also acted as contemplative reminders of mortality. Signed and dated on the thong: F.R. Godmacher 1827. Height x width of Christ 55 x 41.5 cm, height x width of the cross 122 x 61 cm. Item condition grading: **** good. Accompanied by Ce.S.Ar. Centro Studi Archeometrici certificate of authenticity (pre-1947).

This lot is available for sale only with shipments within the European Union

THE CITES ARTICLE 8 (3b) DEROGATIONThe article 8 (3b) derogation -Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97, the so-called "antique derogation”, and the article 62 -Council Regulation (EC) No 865/2006, allow to sell this kind of item (defined as pre-1947)within the European Union. Current legislation states thatif an item has been manufactured prior to June 1947 and has been significantly altered from its natural raw state for jewellery, adornment, art, utility or musical instrument before that date, a CITES certificate is not required (therefore only for material that has been “worked” before 1947, and has been transformed from its natural state by human craft)