Engraved Gems
Philippe Malgouyres
This lavishly illustrated work is dedicated to the collection of Guy Ladrière, who assembled an extraordinary array of intaglios and cameos.
This lavishly illustrated work is dedicated to the collection of Guy Ladrière, who assembled an extraordinary array of intaglios and cameos. These precious, stone-engraved miniature are referred to as glyptic art. For more than five thousand years, colored stones have inspired humans to create images in them, to wear them in rings on their fingers, to set them in precious objects and to pursue them with passion.
The Ladrière collection enables us to study this art over an extended period. We can assess the full diversity of the glyptic form: the collection is a parade of antique and medieval rings, royal and imperial portraits, seals and amulets, icons, works of art for connoisseurs and casual collectors, and homages to ancient art. More than a mere catalog, this book is a journey into the world of glyptic art from Ptolemy's Egypt to 19th century Roman engravers.
