Ivory: Pleasures And Treasures
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Wear and tear with damage
Pages: Yellowed
Few materials have captivated human imagination across cultures and centuries quite like ivory — and Olivier Beigbeder's Ivory: Pleasures and Treasures presents a rich and authoritative survey of this extraordinary medium, tracing its artistic legacy from the ancient world through to the masterworks of Gothic and Renaissance craftsmen. From intricately carved religious diptychs to the refined decorative objects of royal courts, the work chronicles the diverse forms ivory has assumed in the hands of the world's most gifted artisans, illuminating the material's central role in the history of decorative and sacred art. Beigbeder writes with the precision of a scholar and the enthusiasm of a connoisseur, situating each object within its broader cultural and historical context while never losing sight of the sensory pleasure ivory inspires. The volume argues that the story of ivory is inseparable from the story of civilisation itself — a testament to humanity's enduring desire to transform the natural world into objects of beauty and devotion. Richly illustrated and elegantly composed, this is an indispensable volume for anyone drawn to the intersection of art, history, and material culture — one that leaves the reader wondering what other hidden histories lie embedded within the objects we too easily overlook.
Author: O. Beigbeder
Format: Hardback
Genre: Antiques & collectibles
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Wear and tear with damage
Pages: Yellowed
Few materials have captivated human imagination across cultures and centuries quite like ivory — and Olivier Beigbeder's Ivory: Pleasures and Treasures presents a rich and authoritative survey of this extraordinary medium, tracing its artistic legacy from the ancient world through to the masterworks of Gothic and Renaissance craftsmen. From intricately carved religious diptychs to the refined decorative objects of royal courts, the work chronicles the diverse forms ivory has assumed in the hands of the world's most gifted artisans, illuminating the material's central role in the history of decorative and sacred art. Beigbeder writes with the precision of a scholar and the enthusiasm of a connoisseur, situating each object within its broader cultural and historical context while never losing sight of the sensory pleasure ivory inspires. The volume argues that the story of ivory is inseparable from the story of civilisation itself — a testament to humanity's enduring desire to transform the natural world into objects of beauty and devotion. Richly illustrated and elegantly composed, this is an indispensable volume for anyone drawn to the intersection of art, history, and material culture — one that leaves the reader wondering what other hidden histories lie embedded within the objects we too easily overlook.