Rectangular ivory plaque, encased by a plain framing abasement. In the centre a detailed low-relief depicting Our Lady of The Rosary holding Baby Jesus in her right arm, and fully encircled by a rosary. In her left hand, the Virgin holds a lotus flower in a manner characteristic of Hindu iconography which extends to the elegantly tapered face, the long, thick-locked centre-parted hairstyle falling over her shoulders and back, and the carefully worked and detailed vestments which clearly allude to an Indian sari model.

Two angels holding the rosary fill the upper corners of the composition while at the lower corners, the void is filled by winged cherubs in a characteristically Ceylonese influenced interpretation: fine tight lips, delicately hooked nose and straight short hair.

This plaque can be confidently included in the group of typically 17th century imagery used in the spreading of the Christian cult and the praying of the Rosary, promoted in Europe from the mid-15th century onwards and popularized in the 17th century, when the demand for this specific imagery was at its height and widely available in a variety of media such as loose engravings or illustrations in prayer books, which were often reinterpreted by the Ceylonese workshops.

This panel has been exhibited in “A Expansão Portuguesa e a Arte do Marfim”, F. C. Gulbenkian, Lisboa 1991 and is reproducet in the catalogue (page 83, n 181)