Gothic Ivory Sculpture: Content and Context

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Edited by Catherine Yvard

Elisabeth Antoine-König
Katherine Eve Baker
Camille Broucke
Jack Hartnell
Franz Kirchweger
Juliette Levy-Hinstin
Christian Nikolaus Opitz
Stephen Perkinson
Naomi Speakman
Michele Tomasi
Catherine Yvard

The study of Gothic ivory carving has been given a new impetus in recent years through the launch in 2010 of the Gothic Ivories Project at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Showcasing this recent research, the present volume includes papers from two conferences organised by the Project in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum (2012) and the British Museum (2014).

The opening section of papers places the objects in their original context through close material examination, iconographic and stylistic analysis, and use of primary sources, with a focus on the 13th and 14th century. The second section turns to the late 15th and early 16th century when the production of ivory carvings, while still adhering to some older models, undergoes changes and ventures into new territories, both in terms of function and iconography. The final section offers a rich panorama of the particular taste for ivory developed by collectors all over Europe in the 19th and early 20th century. Finally, a thought-provoking epilogue addresses the question of gothic ivory sculpture in the age of digitisation and 3D printing.