Wednesday, September 26, 2018

European Relief Sculptures in Ivory

Anonymous Greek Sculptor in South Italy
Striding Satyr
2nd century BC
ivory relief appliqué
Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

Anonymous Roman Sculptor
Artemis and Apollo
4th century AD
ivory relief panel
Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

Anonymous Italian Sculptor
St Sebastian
ca. 1470-85
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Anonymous German Sculptor after Barthel Beham
Battle of Nude Men over Abduction of a Woman
ca. 1550-75
ivory relief plaque
Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

Gérard van Opstal
Bacchanal of Putti
ca. 1640-68
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

"Ivory is the dense, hard, creamy white substance that forms the tusks of mammals, though the term is also used for other similar materials.  For centuries it has been highly valued by craftsmen and patrons alike for use in religious and secular objects.  The main source of ivory is elephant tusks from Africa and India.  The tusks of Atlantic walrus and whalebone from the Finner whale have also been popular in northern Europe since the 10th century.  . . .  Elephant and walrus ivory and whalebone are prepared for carving by removing the outer layer known as the 'husk' or 'cementum'.  The tusk is then sawn into the appropriate shape for a figure or relief.  The carver uses small knives, chisels, gouges and files, very similar to those used for wood carving.  After polishing, ivory can be stained or partially painted or gilded."

Leonhard Kern
Scene in a Women's Bath-house
ca. 1650
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Francis van Bossuit
David with the Head of Goliath
ca. 1675-92
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

"Both the smooth carving of David's body, resembling wax, and the contrasting rough dappling of the background, are typical of the artist.  Bossuit was one of the most accomplished ivory carvers of the late 17th century and the subtlety of this relief bears out his admirers' claims that he could carve ivory 'as if it was wax'.  It was almost certainly carved in Amsterdam, where Bossuit moved late in his career, having spent many years in Italy."

Jakob Auer
Judgment of Paris
ca. 1675-80
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Balthasar Griessmann
Sacrifice of Isaac
1679
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Anonymous Dutch Sculptor
David with the Head of Goliath
ca. 1690-1700
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Jacob Dobbermann
Homage to Venus
ca. 1730-40
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Peter Hencke
Abduction of the Sabine Women
1743
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

"Dramatic and virtuoso compositions were often carved in ivory during the baroque period.  Hencke's figures seem to have been inspired by Rubens's work, although no specific source has been identified.  . . .  The relief is made up of four pieces of ivory, with two extra added for the trees and archway, respectively."

Anonymous German Sculptor
Childhood of Jupiter
ca. 1850-1900
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

Anonymous Italian Sculptor
Death as a Skeleton
ca. 1850-70
ivory relief
Victoria & Albert Museum

– quoted texts based on curator's notes from the Victoria & Albert Museum