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| Woman looking in a mirror Germany ca. 1750 ivory, partly painted Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| Cupid and Psyche Flanders ca. 1600-1625 ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
"Mankind, according to that fanciful philosopher [Plato], were not, in their original, divided into male and female, as at present; but each individual person was compounded of both sexes, and was in himself both husband and wife, melted down into one living creature. This union, no doubt, was very intire, and the parts very well adjusted together, since there resulted a perfect harmony betwixt the male and female, altho' they were obliged to be inseparable companions. And so great were the harmony and happiness flowing from it, that the ANDROGYNES (for so PLATO called them) or MEN-WOMEN, became insolent upon their prosperity, and rebelled against the Gods. To punish them for this temerity, JUPITER could contrive no better expedient, than to divorce the male-part from the female, and make two imperfect beings of the compound, which was before so perfect. Hence the origin of men and women, as distinct creatures."
– from the essay, Of Love and Marriage (1741) by David Hume
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| Wedding of Jupiter and Juno Germany 17th century ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Archangel Michael Spain 17th century ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Medallion of the Count & Countess of the North, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich & Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna Russia 1770s ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Judgment of Paris France 18th century ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Christ between two Apostles France ca. 1350-1400 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| François Duquesnoy Bacchanalian infants playing with a goat ca. 1640 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| François Duquesnoy Bacchanalian infants harvesting grapes ca. 1640 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| François Duquesnoy Binding of the sleeping Silenus ca. 1640 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| Jan Jiří Bendl Samson carrying the Gates of Gaza ca. 1630 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
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| Putto on Tortoise Flanders 17th century ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Putto on Skull Flanders 17th century ivory Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
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| Rosary Bead - Memento Mori France or Netherlands ca. 1520-30 ivory Victoria & Albert Museum, London |