Wednesday, May 13, 2026

An Ivory Casket, c 1350 AD

This ivory casket is in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. It was made in France around 1350. The rest of the text comes from the online description.

This splendid casket is carved with scenes from romances and allegorical literature representing the courtly ideals of love and heroism. In the center of the lid, knights joust as ladies watch from the balcony; to the left, knights lay siege to the Castle of Love, the subject of an allegorical battle. 




The remaining scenes on the casket are drawn from well-known stories about Aristotle and Phyllis, Tristan and Iseult, and tales of the gallant, heroic deeds of Gawain, Galahad, and Lancelot. The box may originally have been a courtship gift. 

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