The Gherardesca Diptych
- Gallery: Room 41
- Culture: Late Roman
- Made in: Rome (city)
- Date: 402
- Object type: diptych
- Materials: elephant ivory
- Museum number: 1857,1013.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is a leaf from The Gherardesca Diptych, an elegant ivory panel carved in Late Roman times around the year 402 in a workshop in Rome. The intricate scenes depict the apotheosis of a pagan figure across three vivid scenes. Below, four elephants pull a carriage draped in grandeur, carrying a dignitary dressed in a toga. Above, a dramatic funeral scene with an eagle-filled sky leads to a moment of ascension, aided by personified winds. At the top, a beautiful scroll displays a Latin monogram reading "SYMMACHORUM," linking this work to the influential Symmachi family. The panel also includes zodiac signs and a dramatic portrayal of the sun god Helios. Carved from elephant ivory with masterful detail, this piece offers a rare glimpse into elite Roman artistry and classical tradition.
See it in person
The Gherardesca Diptych is on display in Room 41 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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