"kiss Of Peace" In Bone, Madonna And Child — Italy, Probably Venice, C. 1500 — Renaissance

"Kiss of Peace" in bone, Madonna and Child — Italy, probably Venice, c. 1500 — Renaissance

Rare pax or osculum in engraved bone, depicting the Virgin and Child seated on a bench. Italy, probably Venice, late 15th or early 16th century.

Of ogival form, this remarkable pax presents a finely executed composition, engraved directly into a bone plaque with a pointed tool. The Virgin, seated on a bench and holding the Christ Child, occupies the centre of a composition deeply rooted in the artistic language of the Italian Renaissance.

The treatment of the figures, the delicate facial features, the carefully rendered folds of the garments, and the flattened haloes are characteristic of Italian artistic vocabulary of the late Quattrocento and early Cinquecento. The chequered floor contributes to the construction of perspective and is reminiscent of compositions found in Italian painting of the 15th century. In the background unfolds a mountainous landscape, enhanced with small scintillating stars, lending the composition both a precious and mystical character.

The technique is particularly noteworthy. The entire composition was executed by point engraving directly into the bone, after which ink was applied to the surface so that it settled only within the incised lines, bringing out the drawing with remarkable clarity. This technique, which allows for strong contrast and considerable graphic precision, is particularly associated with Renaissance production in Venice, notably on certain caskets and other objects made of precious woods and decorated with engraved designs.

The overall style is distinctly Italian and Renaissance, and a Venetian origin may be reasonably proposed, both on account of the decorative vocabulary and the technique employed. The quality of the engraving, the delicacy of the details and the assured handling of the composition reveal the work of a highly skilled craftsman.

The reverse is equally noteworthy, clearly revealing the structure of the bone and its spongy inner surface. It also bears a religious engraving depicting the IHS monogram, surmounted by a cross and placed beneath divine rays. The particular treatment of the monogram, in which the letters appear to merge into a composition of three vertical strokes, may perhaps be interpreted as a symbolic reference to the Holy Trinity.

The object is in very good overall condition considering its age. There is, however, a deformation and a crack along the right-hand side. This crack was the subject of an old restoration using a small metal rivet, which remains still visible. This early repair also bears witness to the care taken to preserve the object and maintain it in use throughout its history.

By virtue of its rarity, the quality of its execution and its place within the artistic culture of the Italian Renaissance, this small devotional object constitutes a particularly attractive testimony to religious and decorative production in Italy at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century.

Dimensions: 11 × 15 cm