Carved ivory group after da Vinci's 'The Last Supper'

This magnificent carved ivory group was produced in Erbach, Germany in about 1860. The piece is exceptionally finely carved, a characteristic typical of pieces produced in Erbach in this period. During the 19th Century, Erbach became one of the world's great centres of ivory carving, the pieces produced there being renowned among collectors. Today, Erbach hosts the German Ivory Museum, which houses many pieces crafted in the local area.

The subject is after Leonardo da Vinci’s famous ‘The Last Supper’ mural in Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. The scene portrays Jesus Christ surrounded by the Twelve Apostles; the moment is the one in which Christ announces that one of them gathered would betray him—subsequently revealed to be Judas.

The group is raised on a shaped and tiered Ivory base, supported by four toupie feet. To the front of the base is inscribed in the Latin ‘AMEN AMEN DICO VOBIS QUIA UNUS EX VOBIS TRADET ME.’ In English, this reads,“I tell you, one of you shall betray me!”, which is a reference to John 13:21.