V&A Competes with the Met Over £2m Ivory Acquisition
[ad_1]
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are both interested in acquiring an extraordinary Romanesque ivory carving known as “Deposition from the Cross”, dating back to 1190-1200. The Met has already made a £2m offer for the sculpture, but the export license has been deferred to allow the V&A to match the price. The ivory carving, originally from York, has close ties to the UK and was on loan to the V&A from 1982 to 2022. The V&A is currently seeking funding to complete the purchase, with discussions underway with various donors. The sculpture depicts Joseph of Arimathea lowering the body of Christ and was part of a larger ensemble of scenes from the Passion. The V&A already owns a smaller fragment of the altarpiece, depicting Judas at the Last Supper. The possibility of collaboration between the two museums for acquiring the artwork is an interesting prospect, as seen in a previous joint acquisition. However, the V&A is currently pursuing a solo purchase, given its ownership of the Judas fragment and historical connection to the sculpture.
[ad_2]
Source
Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.