|
HOME :
Decorative Arts :
Miscellaneous : Ivory Box Bearing an Erotic Scene
|
 |
|
|
|
Ivory Box Bearing an Erotic Scene - KG.11
Origin: New England
Circa: 1800
BC
to 1900
AD
Dimensions:
3.25" (8.3cm) high
x 1.75" (4.4cm) wide
Collection: Erotic Art
Medium: Ivory
Condition: Very Fine
Additional Information: F.
£3,000.00
Location: Great Britain
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
Scrimshaw is the name given to scrollwork,
engravings, and carvings done in bone or ivory. The
word Scrimshaw was probably derived from a Dutch
or English nautical slang expression meaning “to
waste time.” Typically it refers to the handiwork
created by whalers made from the byproducts of
harvesting marine mammals. It is most commonly
made out of the bones and teeth of sperm whales,
the baleen of other whales, and the tusks of
walruses. It takes the form of elaborate engravings
in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface
of the bone or tooth, with the engraving highlighted
using a pigment, or, less often, small sculptures
made from the same material. However the latter
really fall into the categories of ivory carving, for all
carved teeth and tusks, or bone carving. The making
of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1745
to 1759 on the Pacific Ocean, and survived until the
ban on commercial whaling. The practice survives as
a hobby and as a trade for commercial artisans.
This small, elegantly shaped box is a very refined
example of scrimshaw. The color of the ivory
presents warm-yellow shades, the depth of the
engraving is lightly increased, if we compare it to
the elongated horn-shaped scrimshaws. The depth
employed in the engraving allows the creation of
very intense effects of shading and plastic
naturalism. The scene features a feminine figure
depicted in a very intimate moment. We can observe
some details of the clothing that well represent the
fashion trend of the time.
- (KG.11)
|
| |
|
