On this plaque, Christ as a child is portrayed in his role as Mariner on the Ship of Salvation. This image invokes Christ as a protector of seafarers and navigators. He is surrounded by many symbols relating to his later life. This depiction on ivory is likely based on an Italian print. It is difficult to determine the origin of this plaque. Ivory was a popular medium, and many Chinese ivory carvers were known to have travelled widely and worked in various important port cities of the period.
