Masterpieces of Ivory from the Walters Art Gallery

From Publishers Weekly One Egyptian ivory figurine of a hippopotamus, though less than two inches long, manages to convey the heaviness and power of the animal. Ivory is a supple medium, and each age has shaped it according to its concepts of refinement, pomp, utility and beauty. The Greeks built ivory couches as a symbol of luxury. Roman general Lucius Scipio and his men carried 1231 ivory tusks in a triumphal procession. Byzantine artisans carved lifelike ivory saints and angels on miniature altar panels. Muslim craftsmen fashioned intricate inscriptions on oliphants or hunting horns made from tusks. Among the unusual or outstanding objects reproduced in this catalouge of the Walters collection in Baltimore are a Cretan snake goddess, a Coptic statuette of the Virgin of Tenderness (the earliest known example of this image), a German Baroque statue of Cleopatra being bitten by a serpent, and an Art Nouveau orchid comb by Rene Lalique. More than 700 plates (100 in color) are accompanied by essays contriubted by various scholars who trace this highly developed art through the centuries. Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal The collection of ivories in the Walters Art Gallery is one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world, some 500 objects covering over ten millennia, from the earliest use of ivory to the 20th century. This scholarly, elegant volume is more than equal to the task of recording, describing, and illustrating the collection. It is a classic history of this rare and wonderful substance in its myriad forms. Written by experts, it provides a wealth of detail; every object is included in both text and illustration along with additional comparative or related items in other media and collections. The erudition of the contributors and the splendor of the color illustrations make this catalog of a singular collection a major contribution to the literature. Highly recommended. Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New YorkCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.