An exquisite example of Romanesque artistry, this ivory crozier—a staff similar in appearance to a shepherd’s crook that is carried by bishops as a sign of ecclesiastical office—was made in England or France c. 1150–1170 and measures about 4 by 4.5 inches. While it is unknown who carried the crozier, the magnificent carvings displaying the life of St. Nicholas lead one to assume that the official was either named for the saint or in charge of a foundation bearing his name. The carvings depict scenes from both the lives of Jesus and St. Nicholas, including Jesus’s Nativity and Annunciation […]
