Carved Stone Casket. Romanesque Art. Jura, 1st Century.

This small, double-pitched chest, carved from soft stone, was likely used either as a small sarcophagus or an ossuary. The deeply carved decoration on one side illustrates the Annunciation and the Nativity. Five figures are depicted; on the left, Mary is shown reclining "in the Roman style" on a chaise longue, holding the infant Jesus, who is fully swaddled in Egyptian-style bandages. Behind them, Joseph is shown standing. On the left side of the front, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is pregnant. In the center, the city, represented by towers and walls, is probably Bethlehem. While the work is rustic, typical of a regional Romanesque workshop, the artist skillfully brought all the figures to life. The stone, when viewed under a magnifying glass, is formed by an agglomeration of small grains of rock interspersed with sparkling flakes of quartz or mica. It is a calcareous sandstone, typical of Switzerland and Savoy, which leads us to believe that this casket was made in this region. Under magnification, small cavities carved out by centuries can be seen. France or Switzerland, 11th-12th century (possibly earlier). Complete, no restorations. 38 x 26 x 17 cm