Five part book cover with Virgin between Zaccharias and John the Baptist. c. 9th century

Editor: This five-part book cover, depicting the Virgin between Zaccharias and John the Baptist, is quite striking! What’s immediately noticeable is the way it elevates the divine feminine within a patriarchal religious structure. What do you make of this? Curator: It is worth asking: who was this book for, and who made it? The representation of Mary here, seated and enthroned, speaks to the complex negotiations of power, gender, and spirituality in its time. Is it subversion, or co-option? Or perhaps both? Editor: So the ivory carving becomes a site of cultural negotiation, reflecting the social tensions of the period. I hadn’t considered that. Curator: Exactly. And by understanding the book's potential audience, we can engage in a contemporary dialogue on female representation and power. What does it mean to see it today? Editor: I guess it reminds us how these conversations are ongoing, and how much we can learn from the past, even when the artist is unknown.