The hand of the master

This book is the first detailed study in fifty years of Byzantine ivory carving in the tenth and eleventh centuries, the era when work in that medium reached its highest level of attainment. Unique in its aim and range, The Hand of the Master considers how, when, and why the Byzantines used ivory for icons and other luxurious items. Based on direct study of the objects, the book discusses more than 150 pieces and is illustrated with new photographs that are indispensable to an understanding of carving techniques and styles. Cutler analyzes the normal working methods of Byzantine carvers, as well as aspects of craftsmanship that enable us to identify distinct hands. These observations are then made the basis of both a revised chronology and a more rigorous system of classification than has existed heretofore. But the recognition of particular sculptors is a means rather than an end in this book. Similarities and differences within this huge body of production allow answers to such broader questions as the functions of craftsmen in this society, their relations with clients and designers, and, ultimately, the significance of ivory in the visual culture of Byzantium.