Situla with Madonna and Four Evangelists c. 10th century

Editor: This is a situla, or small bucket, depicting the Madonna and four evangelists. It's an anonymous work from the Harvard Art Museums. The detail is impressive, considering it's only about 20 cm tall. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: What immediately grabs me is the raw material itself, likely ivory. Its preciousness dictated the object's function and value. Consider the labor involved in both acquiring the material and the meticulous carving process. Who commissioned this? Was it for personal devotion, or a display of wealth and power? Editor: So, it's less about the religious imagery and more about the economics and social context of the object? Curator: Precisely. The Madonna and evangelists are symbols, yes, but they are rendered in a costly material, using skilled labor. This situla speaks volumes about the society that produced and consumed it. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's all about asking: who made it, how, and why?