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Mediaeval Ivories from the Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt

12.10.2007 to 06.01.2008

Kunstgewerbemuseum
Kunstgewerbemuseum

Part of the exhibition series "Museum Dialogues"

During the reconstruction of the Hessisches Landesmuseum in Darmstadt, its outstanding collection of Mediaeval ivories will be making guest appearances in other museums, first of all the Berlin Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum). For the largest part, the Darmstadt ivories originate from the Cologne collection of Baron von Hüpsch which in 1805 was taken over by the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. The works are of extraordinarily high quality and provide an insight into the development of the genre throughout the entire Middle Ages. Works from the Carolingian and Ottonian periods, such as the fragment off a relief from the court school of Charles the Great, represent artistic highlights of the show. A number of works from 12th century carving workshops in Cologne make a fine comparison with the neighbouring Mediaeval treasure art from the Museum of Decorative Art's collection.