King from a Tree of Jesse
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “King from a Tree of Jesse” now? Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Not on view at present. Checked September 25, 2026.
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
This figure represents a king from the Tree of Jesse. The half-length figure of the king is emerging from a flowering bud which springs from a scrolling stem. Below is a bird. The fingers of another figure, now missing, hold the stem. The form and pose of the figure, together with the remains of the leafy stem, show clearly that it originally belonged to a Tree of Jesse. It represents one of the kings commonly seen among the branches. These kings and prophets formed the line of descendants from Jesse to Christ, through the Virgin. They are most often included on altarpieces dedicated to the Virgin and Child. It is very unusual to find a bird in the Tree of Jesse.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 272-1902
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
