Detail of the Cover of an Ivory Casket in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, August 2007

Ivory Casket with the Deesis, Archangels, and the Twelve Apostles
Byzantine
Carved about 950-100, probably in Constantinople

Accession # 17.190.238

On the lid of the casket is a Deesis composition showing Christ enthroned in majesty flanked by the Virgin, John the Baptist, and archangels. Roundels containing portraits of saints, identified by carefully carved Greek inscriptions decorate the sides of the casket; Saints Paul, Peter, James and Andrew on the front; Philip and Thomas on the right; Bartholomew and Simon on the left; and John, Mark, Luke, and Matthew on the back. Conservators have returned the casket to its original Byzantine condition by removing a lock plate and red and blue paint that had been added by later owners.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.