Ivory style

Creates high-relief ivory carving, with an emphasis on 13th to 15th century. I recommend using the keywords high-relief ivory carving. It may also react to sculpted scene.

Training set: where do the images come from?

I took 49 pictures of ivory carvings. They're primarily from the Imperial Treasury of Vienna and the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum. These ones are either in panel formats (sometimes framed) or as small sculptures. A few of my pictures come from the Peabody Essex Museum and the Hermitage Museum Norfolk; these ones are large sculpted tusks (i.e., three dimensional). I supplemented these pictures by samples, as would be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The training set leans heavily on Western art, so do not expect it to naturally generate Indian ivories. The tusks featured mostly Buddhist scenes, so the training set has observed oriental elements and may default to Asian figures at times.

Characteristics

High-relief ivory carvings from the 13th to 15th century are intricately detailed, three-dimensional works that appear almost sculptural due to their deep carving, which allows figures to project prominently from the surface. Typically crafted from elephant or walrus ivory, these carvings often depicted religious themes, such as saints, biblical scenes, or allegorical figures, with a focus on fine details like drapery folds, expressions, and textures. The pale, smooth surface of ivory lent a luminous quality to these works, enhancing their elegance and spiritual significance. Frames or backgrounds were often densely filled with decorative motifs, like foliage or architectural elements, to further enrich the composition.

Books to learn more

• Several books by Paul Williamson, including "Medieval Ivory Carvings: Early Christian to Romanesque" and "Medieval Ivory Carvings 1200-1550"

• Images in Ivory: Precious Objects of The Gothic Age by Peter Barnet